Biomolecules of the Horseshoe Crab’s Hemolymph: Components of an Ancient Defensive Mechanism and Its Impact on the Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Industry

Table 1

Features of large and small granules.

Types of hemocyte	Features of hemocyte
Large (L) granules	(1) The L-granules consist of approximately 20 proteins with molecular weights ranging from 8 to 123 kDa [19].; (2) After isolating the L-granules, the extract showed that it caused the LPS to gel [29].
Small (S) granules	(1) The S-granules include at least six proteins with molecular weights less than 30 kDa, as well as the antimicrobial peptide tachyplesin and its derivatives. Recent studies on S-granules have revealed that they also accumulate tachycitin, tachystatins, and large defensin in addition to tachyplesins (all of which are also found in L-granules), all of which have antibacterial properties against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as fungus [30–33].