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Journal of Experimental Biology 36,478-494 (1959)
Published by Company of Biologists 1959

Physiological Mechanism of Nematocyst Responses in Sea-Anemone : VII. Extrusion of Resting Cnidae--its Nature and its Possible Bearing on the Normal Nettling Response

T. M. YANAGITA ¹

¹ Department of Biology, Ochanomizu University, Tokyo

1. The acontium of Diadumene luciae was found to extrude its nematocysts (microbasic p-mastigophores) when it was placed in sea water diluted twenty times or more with distilled water or with some non-electrolyte solution.

2. The effect of dilution of sea water in inducing the cnida extrusion was revealed to be due to the decrease in concentration of Cl^- and Br^- ions which act on the surface of acontium to suppress the extrusion. A similar effect of suppressing the extrusion was also found with many other univalent anions. Most of the plurivalent anions studied lacked such effect.

3. Visible features of the process of cnida extrusion were described, suggestive of a physiologically active reaction.

4. The cnida extrusion could be anaesthetized either with Mg²⁺ ions or with many organic anaesthetics. The anaesthesia was found to be reversible.

5. An explanation of the nature and mechanism of the extrusion reaction was sought on the basis of the present results, and extended to include all the forms of discharge reactions, including the natural nettling response.

Note:

Supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education.

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