CADMIUM CHLORIDE-INDUCED HYPERGLYCEMIA IN THE RED SWAMP CRAYFISH, PROCAMBARUS-CLARKII - POSSIBLE ROLE OF CRUSTACEAN HYPERGLYCEMIC HORMONE

Exposure to 5 ppm cadmium chloride for up to 72-hr produces hyperglyce mia in intact Procambarus clarkii, but not in eyestalkless individuals . Extracts of eyestalks, regardless of whether the eyestalks are from cadmium exposed crayfish or crayfish kept in clean water, produce a gr eater hyperglycemia in eyestalkless crayfish kept in clean water than in cadmium exposed eyestalkless crayfish. This difference in effective ness of the extracts may represent a decreased responsiveness of cadmi um exposed crayfish to the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone. These res ults support the hypothesis that cadmium induced hyperglycemia is medi ated at least in part by the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone that is produced in the eyestalk.