From oxygen transport to melanin formation: Activation mechanism of key enzymes explained
Thursday, June 4, 2009 - 09:07
in Health & Medicine
Pandinus imperator, the emperor scorpion, is not only popular as a pet, but is also of interest for research purposes. The reason for this is its blue blood, which transports oxygen and distributes it throughout the body. Like tyrosinase, the key enzyme in melanin synthesis, the blue blood pigment haemocyanin found in the emperor scorpion and other arthropods belongs to a group of special molecules that occur in all organisms and that have many different functions: colouring the skin, hair and eyes, immune response, wound healing or the brown discolouration of fruit...