Abstract
Glycerol-isolated basitrichs of Calliactis parasitica responsive to thioglycolate had open apical flaps, while unresponsive capsules isolated with Triton X100 or by freezing had closed apical flaps. Limited treatment with trypsin induced the apical flaps to open without causing discharge, suggesting that nematocysts can maintain the resting condition even with open flaps. Trypsin-treated basitrichs acquire a high responsiveness to thioglycolate. Microbasic mastigophores of Aiptasia mutabilis are more responsive to distilled water after controlled trypsin treatment but the apical flaps are unchanged. Ca2+ is inhibitory regardless of trypsin treatment. It is proposed that the capsule tip may control the penetration of the discharging agents rather than providing mechanical resistance to inner pressure.
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Salleo, A., La Spada, G., Brancati, A. et al. Effects of controlled treatment with trypsin on the functional characteristics of isolated nematocysts of Calliactis parasitica and Aiptasia mutabilis (Cnidaria, Actiniaria). Hydrobiologia 216, 655–660 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00026527
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00026527