The aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolic condition of Steatoda grossa (Theridiidae) spider, from their hemocytes, after a short-term (four-week) exposure to cadmium and copper in sublethal doses by administering them into the body of the preys. The ultrastructure of the dominant types of hemocytes, such as granulocytes, plasmatocytes and prohemocytes, was evaluated using transmission electron microscope (TEM). Quantitative evaluation of apoptotic and necrotic cells, as well as the ones with depolarized mitochondria in hemolymph, was performed using flow cytometry, while ATP concentration and ADP/ATP ratio in hemocytes were measured by luminescent methods. Cadmium, unlike copper, demonstrated proapoptotic and pronecrotic activity. Low ATP levels and high ADP/ATP ratio in hemocytes indicate a disturbance in the energy metabolism of cells and may account for their qualitative and quantitative degenerative changes. The intensification of death processes in hemocytes after an exposure to cadmium-contaminated food may impair the ability of these cells to fight infectious diseases. Copper at the applied dosage was safe for the spiders without causing visible changes in the hemocyte ultrastructure and in the level of analyzed cell death indices.

这项研究的目的是评估大眼石斑鱼的代谢状况。（Theridiidae）蜘蛛通过将它们放入猎物体内，以短致死剂量短期（四周）暴露于镉和铜之后，从它们的血细胞中获取蜘蛛。使用透射电子显微镜（TEM）评估了主要类型的血细胞（如粒细胞，浆细胞和血细胞）的超微结构。使用流式细胞仪对凋亡细胞和坏死细胞以及线粒体中具有去极化线粒体的细胞进行定量评估，同时通过发光方法测量血细胞中的ATP浓度和ADP / ATP比。镉与铜不同，具有促凋亡和坏死的活性。血细胞中较低的ATP水平和较高的ADP / ATP比值表明细胞的能量代谢受到干扰，并可能解释了它们的定性和定量变性变化。暴露于受镉污染的食物后，血细胞死亡过程的加剧可能会削弱这些细胞抵抗传染病的能力。所施用剂量的铜对于蜘蛛是安全的，不会引起血细胞超微结构和所分析的细胞死亡指数水平的明显变化。