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Updated: Oct 21, 2026

Blood Collection from the American Horseshoe Crab, Limulus Polyphemus
Published on: October 12, 2008
[Structural characteristics of dry blood serum of patients with arteriosclerosis after plasmapheresis]
Abstract:
The surface of dried drops of blood serum (BS) from 86 plasmapheresis patients with atherosclerosis has been studied for its structural peculiarities. The content of lipids (total cholesterol, cholesterol of lipoproteins of high density, triglycerides), sialic acids and immunoglobulins was determined in all the examinees. BS from 20 practically healthy people was taken as a control. Optically inactive filamentous dichotomically branching crystals were typical of its microstructure. Optically active spherolites were found in patients with high content of cholesterol, optically active dendrite aggregation--in patients with high content of triglycerides, optically active fibrils appeared in case of hypersialemia, optically inactive aggregates--in case of hyperimmunoglobulemia. The plasmapheresis course carried out in patients was followed by appearance of filamentous dichotomically branching crystals, and disappearance of optically active inclusions, that testified to ordering of the BS structure. The results obtained were confirmed by normalization of the content of lipids, sialic acids, immunoglobulins.
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