Abstract

Recently, using cnida-mediated measurements of adhesive force, Thorington and Hessinger (1984, 1988a, b) identified two different chemoreceptors involved in triggering cnida discharge on the tentacles of the sea anemone, Aiptasia pallida. These two classes of receptors were shown to interact with glycine and N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA). We now show that the discharge of the microbasic p-mastigophores, one of the three types of cnidae present on the tentacles of A. pallida, is under the controlling influence of these two classes of cnidocyte-associated chemoreceptors. We also demonstrate that the number of discharged microbasic p-mastigophores adhering to the test probes is proportional to and linearly related to a component of the measured adhesive force. Our findings, thus, validate using measurements of adhesive force as indicators of the relative extents of cnida discharge. Furthermore, we calculate that the contribution to adhesive force made by a single mastigophore is approximately 0.17 mgf.

LLU Discipline

Biology

Department

Biology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

David A. Hessinger

Second Advisor

Conrad D. Clausen

Third Advisor

Paul J. McMillan

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Level

M.A.

Year Degree Awarded

1988

Date (Title Page)

6-1988

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Sea anemones; Nematocysts

Type

Thesis

Page Count

iii; 17

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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