The developmental changes in the concentration of 8 essential and non-essential heavy metals (Ag, Cd, Cu, Co, Fe, Pb, V, Zn) in the tissues (digestive gland, cuttlebone and whole animal) of the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis collected in the bay of the river Seine were monitored from the end of the embryogenesis until the adult reproductive stage. Compared to embryos, juveniles after hatch...

Our previous report showed that the extract from cuttlebone (CB) had wound healing effect in burned lesion of rat and the extract was identified as chitin by HPLS analysis. We herein investigated the morphology in CB extract using scanning electron microscope (SEM). Chitin was used as a control. There is no difference in morphology between CB extract and chitin. We also assessed the role of CB ...

Abstract: Hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, has been widely investigated for medical purposes because it is suitable for either direct clinical use as implants or tissue-engineering applications. In this work materials were successfully produced via hydrothermal transformation of aragonite, obtained from fresh cuttlefish bones, at 200°C and high pressures. Beyond low production cost, worldwide a...

The shell wall in Spirula is composed of prismatic layers, whereas the septa consist of lamello-fibrillar nacre. The septal neck is holochoanitic and consists of two calcareous layers: the outer lamello-fibrillar nacreous layer that continues from the septum, and the inner pillar layer that covers the inner surface of the septal neck. The pillar layer probably is a structurally modified simple ...