Water proton ion in leg muscles of crayfish subjected to starvation.

1. Using nuclear magnetic resonance, we studied the relationships of in vivo water to establish the correlation between the degree of starvation and the spin-lattice or spin-spin relaxation times (T1 and T2, respectively) of water protons in the leg muscles of crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). 2. As the period of starvation increased, the water content as a component of body weight increased, and the T1 value was proportional to the increase in water content of the leg muscles of the crayfish. 3. The T2 value increased exponentially in comparison with the T1 value for each corresponding stage. 4. Our studies suggest that the state of the body water resulting from starvation was affected by cellular environmental change.