Hypersecretion of mucus induced in isolated non-innervated cells (1)
Bang, B.G.; Bang, F.B. (1971). Hypersecretion of mucus induced in isolated non-innervated cells (1). Cah. Biol. Mar. 12(1): 1-10
In: Cahiers de Biologie Marine. Station Biologique de Roscoff: Paris. ISSN 0007-9723; e-ISSN 2262-3094, more
|   |
| Abstract |
The coelomic fluid (blood) of the marine invertebrate coelomate Sipunculus nudus contains thousands of freeswimming 'urn cells'. These organelles, of epithelial origin, secrete mucous tails by means of which debris and bacteria are scavenged from the blood and phagocytosed by amebocytes. The secretory process can he monitored microscopically in blood in vitro. Living urns were observed to secrete excess amount of mucus when Sipunculus were spontaneously or experimentally infected with some, but not all, bacteria. Significant excess, secretion was induced in urns experimentallv when bacteria were added to blood in vitro after the host animal was first injected with a solution of toxin of vibrio cholerae. Significant excess secretion was induced in urns from a healthy Sipunculus when the urns were exposed to bacteria which had first been mixed with sera (plasma) from a bacterially infected Sipunculus. When the latter sera were heated to 84 degrees C or 98 degrees C, a rapid continuing excretion of mucus was induced immediately after the addition of the bacteria. In all cases, the urns had previously failed to hypersecrete when exposed to the same bacteria. Urns, maintained in 2 sterile preparations of their own coelomic fluid, separated from other blood cells for 7 and 15 days respectively, hypersecreted mucus when exposed to particular bacteria. |
|
