Separation of the ascidian blood cells containing a large amount of vanadium and their accumulating mechanism of this element

Consequently, although a subpopulation of morula cells, originally termed vanadocytes, could be obtained with above 90% purity, it contained little vanadium. Instead of it, a subpopulation of signet ring cells distributed in the lowest layer in the Ficoll density gradients contained the highest amount of vanadium (7 ng vanadium/1000 cells). Thus, it has been found that the signet ring cells are primary blood cells that accumulate vanadium in Ascidia ahodori. Moreover, ESR spectra have revelaed that vanadyl ion ( <VO^(2+)> ), vanadium in oxidation state IV, was detected in the cells and bound with some low-molecules through its oxygen donors.