Beyond Hemoglobin: A Review of Hemocyanin and the Biology of Purple Blood.

Abstract

Hemocyanin is dissolved freely in hemolymph, the invertebrate blood substitute, in contrast to haemoglobin, which is encased in red blood cells. When oxygenated, this pigment gives mollusc and arthropod blood its characteristic blue or purple hue. This review article delves into the fascinating biology of hemocyanin, the copper-based oxygen-carrying protein responsible for "purple blood" in many invertebrates, contrasting its characteristics with the more familiar iron-based hemoglobin. The review used a variety of sources from 2020 to 2025, including preprint sites (bioRxiv, medRxiv), grey literature/press-release outlets including EurekAlert! and ScienceDaily, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, BIOSIS, and Google Scholar. While hemocyanin's unique properties allow for adaptation to diverse environments, its direct application as an artificial human blood substitute faces significant biological and immunological hurdles. The report then transitions to a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in artificial human blood transfusion, focusing on hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs), perfluorocarbon-based oxygen carriers (PFCs), and stem cell-derived red blood cells. This analysis critically examines their development, clinical trial outcomes, and the persistent challenges in achieving safe, effective, and widely available blood alternatives, highlighting the distinct roles and limitations of hemocyanin-derived products primarily in immunomodulation rather than oxygen transport.