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Glite Dictionary
hemocyanin

hemocyanin

1 9.6
A blue protein with copper that carries oxygen in the blood of animals like snails and crabs
  • noun
  • /ˌhiːmoʊˈsaɪənɪn/
  • Specialized
: hemocianina
  • Scientists study hemocyanin in mollusks because it serves a similar function to hemoglobin in vertebrates.

Examples

  • Hemocyanin is not as efficient as hemoglobin at delivering oxygen to tissues.

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  • The keyhole limpet's hemocyanin gives its blood a distinctive blue color, indicating the presence of copper.

  • In some species, the blue color of the blood is due to the presence of hemocyanin, a copper-containing protein.

Surface Forms

hemocyanin singular
hemocyanins plural

Morphology

hemocyanin = cyanin (semi-transparent) = hemo + cyan + in

The elements 'hemo-' (blood) and 'cyan' (blue) transparently point to 'blue blood', but '-in' as a protein-forming suffix and the specialized term 'cyanin' are technical and may be unknown to many learners.

Etymology

Hemocyanin comes from the parts hemo- meaning 'blood' and cyanin meaning 'blue', the same root as the color cyan. So, like hemoglobin in humans, hemocyanin is a blood protein that carries oxygen but is blue because it uses copper.