2 injured Mnemiopsis leidiiA species of free-floating animals known as comb jellies or ctenophores can rapidly merge into a single entity with integrated several physiological functions, according to a new study.
While maintaining the population Mnemiopsis leidii Castle storehouse of seawater tank others. He noticed an unusually large individual with two ventral ends and two apical organs. Image credit: Jokura others., doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.084.
“Our findings suggest that ctenophores may lack a heterogeneous recognition system, the ability to distinguish between self and other.” Dr. Kei Shirokuraresearchers at the University of Exeter and Japan's National Research Institute.
“Furthermore, this data suggests that two separate people can rapidly integrate their nervous systems and share action potentials.”
Dr. Shirokura and his colleagues made this observation after maintaining the population. Mnemiopsis leidii (also called sea walnuts) in a seawater tank in the laboratory.
They noticed an unusually large individual that appeared to have not one but two posterior ends and two sensory structures known as apical organs.
They thought that this unusual specimen might have arisen from the fusion of two damaged jellies.
To find out, they removed partial leaves from other individuals and placed them nearby in pairs. I find that it works 9 out of 10 times.
One person was injured and survived for at least three weeks.
Further research revealed that after one night, the original two seamlessly became one with no apparent separation.
When the researchers pecked one of the leaves, the entire fused body exhibited a pronounced startle response, suggesting that the nervous system had also been completely fused.
“We were surprised to observe that when we applied mechanical stimulation to one side of the fused ctenophores, the muscles on the opposite side contracted in synchrony,” said Dr. Jokura.
More detailed observations showed that the fused comb jellies moved spontaneously for the first hour.
Afterwards, the timing of each lobe's contractions began to become more synchronized.
After just 2 hours, 95% of the fused animals' muscle contractions were perfectly synchronized.
In addition, upon closer observation of the gastrointestinal tract, it was found that the gastrointestinal tract was also fused.
When one of the mouths ingested the fluorescently labeled brine shrimp, the food particles traveled through the fused canal.
Eventually, the comb jelly expelled waste from both anuses, but not at the same time.
“It remains unclear how the fusion of two individuals into one functions as a survival strategy,” the authors said.
“Future research will help fill gaps in understanding and have potential implications for regeneration research.”
“Allo-recognition mechanisms are associated with the immune system, and nervous system fusion is closely related to the study of regeneration.”
“Unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying this fusion could advance these important areas of research.”
of study Featured in today's magazine current biology.
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Kei Shirokura others. 2024. Rapid physiological integration of fused ctenophores. current biology 34 (19): 889-890;doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.084
Source: www.sci.news
