There are a fair number of curious idiosyncrasies within the systems of royalty and aristocracy, but perhaps one of the most popular queries relates to the well-known phrase ‘a person of blue-blood’. 

But what does this curious phrase actually mean? 

What Does Blue Blood Mean?
by Chancellor von Moritz

In modern parlance, to say a person has ‘blue blood’ is to suggest that they come from a refined heritage such as royalty or the aristocracy. 

The term has come to mean that a person with blue blood has a noble lineage, it’s an observation of their bloodline, i.e. that they were born into a good, respectable, traditional or aristocratic family. 

In today’s usage, the term blue blood is rarely a direct observation of the person’s blood colour, but rather a symbolic reference to the family they were born into. 

Though it’s not a new phrase – having been recorded for a number of centuries – the connotations of this curious idiom have broadened over time. 

In times past, the term ‘blue blood’ may have been more of a distinct definition that related to royal birth. For example, to say that a person had blue blood would indicate that they belonged to a royal family line. 

Over the centuries, however, the phrase has come to include a wider range of noble lineage. These days it is used to suggest not only royal bloodlines but also includes aristocratic lineages, or even just a respected and established family line. 

So, in essence, the term ‘blue blood’ indicates a royal, noble or esteemed pedigree. It’s a colloquial term to mean good breeding. It’s not so much a reference to any physical characteristics or biological conditions, but rather it’s used to suggest an individual’s family line and heritage. 

The origins of such a curious phrase has sparked much debate over the centuries, with some outlandish suggestions being put forward as to why a person’s blood may be blue, rather than the red hue associated with normal blood colour. 

While the term ‘blue blood’ has come to be symbolic rather than literal, it’s likely that the origins of this phrase did relate to the idea of certain physical characteristics. 

Here are some of the suggested origins for the term ‘blue blood’. 

There is a theory that the modern phrase ‘blue blood’ originated with the Spanish phrase sangre azul (which translates literally as blue blood). 

This idea relates to the ancient families of the Castile region of Spain, who liked to clarify the pureness of their bloodline, i.e. that it was solely the product of the esteemed Castille families and pedigree, and not interrelated with any of the opposing or surrounding nations of the period. 

READ MORE:

https://www.royaltitles.net/blog/what-does-blue-blood-mean/

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The blue hue of horseshoe crab blood comes from a special protein called hemocyanin. Like hemoglobin in humans, hemocyanin transports oxygen — but instead of iron, it contains copper, which turns the blood blue when oxygenated.

Interestingly, unlike human blood, which visibly changes color when oxygen is lost, horseshoe crab blood remains visually unchanged during oxygen depletion.

Horseshoe crabs aren’t the only creatures with blue blood. The same oxygen-carrying protein, hemocyanin, is also found in:

• mollusks (such as octopuses, squids, and snails),
• arthropods (including scorpions, lobsters, and some crab species).

Horseshoe crab blood has a second, even more valuable property. It contains specialized cells that instantly react to endotoxins — harmful substances released by certain bacteria. When in contact with these toxins, the cells rapidly coagulate, forming a clot to isolate the threat.

This unique biological defense is the basis for the pharmaceutical LAL test (Limulus Amebocyte Lysate), a critical method used to test the purity of vaccines and medical products. It can detect even microscopic traces of bacterial toxins that could be deadly if injected into the human body.

The use of the LAL test has become essential in modern medicine. Every batch of injectable medication, including vaccines, is tested using this method. It is estimated that this ancient marine species has helped save millions of human lives.

Given the limited population of horseshoe crabs and the importance of their blood, researchers began seeking alternatives in the 1990s. A synthetic molecule mimicking the crab’s toxin-detecting function has since been developed and is gradually being adopted in pharmaceutical manufacturing.

This advancement helps reduce the need for harvesting horseshoe crab blood and ensures more sustainable practices for both science and nature.

See more at https://english.pravda.ru/news/animal/163561-horseshoe-crab-blue-blood-vaccine/

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         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.