🌿 Naturepublished 2w ago
Horseshoe crab blood clots around bacteria to protect human medicine
Horseshoe crab blood is bright blue because it carries oxygen with copper-based hemocyanin rather than iron. Inside that blue liquid are specialized immune cells called amebocytes. When these cells detect bacterial endotoxins—even at parts per trillion—they rupture and form an instantaneous gel clot that traps the pathogens. For decades, biomedical labs have used this reaction to certify that vaccines, injectable medicines, and surgical implants are completely free of bacterial contamination.
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