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Ultrastructure of the epidermal gland system of Tetranchyroderma suecicum Boaden, 1960 (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida) indicates a defensive function of its exudate

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Abstract

Although the phylum Gastrotricha is known and studied for more than 150 years, some cell types, tissues and organ systems are still not well understood in terms of their morphology, ultrastructure, function and role. One of these features is the epidermal gland system (EGS). As yet, there is just a single detailed electron microscopic investigation of the epidermal glands of the species Turbanella cornuta Remane, 1925, plus scattered ultrastructural data of few additional species. We comprehensively investigated the epidermal glands of Tetranchyroderma suecicum Boaden, 1960 by means of serial sectioning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and with scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, light microscopical, confocal laser scanning microscopical and micro-computed tomographical (µCT) techniques were additionally used for this investigation. Computer programs for 3D-reconstructions were used to analyse the data obtained by TEM and µCT. Tetranchyroderma suecicum possesses up to 100, mostly pairwise arranged, glandulocytes. Each single-celled gland contains a large anastomosing secretory cistern with granular content, has a very electron-dense cytoplasm, a basally positioned nucleus, peripherally arranged mitochondria and a cuticulated, ‘chimney-like’ apical neck, which carries the cellular pore. Each merocrine glandulocyte is associated with an adjacent ciliated sensory cell. There is currently no coherent hypothesis of the glandulocytes’ functional role, but different ideas are discussed. We refer to evidence that the secretory product of the EGS of Tetranchyroderma suecicum most likely acts as a repellent against potential predators.

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Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks are given to Björn M. von Reumont and to Alexander Blanke for preparing and hosting the workshop “From synchrotron based micro-CT scans to 3D models and beyond” (May 2017). Many thanks also to Jannis Ortgies, who patiently prepared many of the TEM slices used for the current study. Furthermore, we acknowledge the Forschen@Studium Grant of the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg (program Forschungsbasiertes Lernen im Fokus plus, FliF +), which allowed us to present the results of this study at the 17th International Meiofauna Conference in Évora, Portugal (July 2019). The µCT facility at the FAU was supported by a Grant of the German Science Foundation (DFG funding no. 274877207). The comments and modifications provided by two anonymous reviewers significantly improved our manuscript, many thanks to them. This is publication number 47 that uses data from the Senckenberg am Meer Confocal Laserscanning Microscope Facility.

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  1. Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl-von-Ossietzky Straße 9-11, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany

    Jannik Schnier & Wilko H. Ahlrichs

  2. Max Planck Institut für Marine Mikrobiologie, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Alexander Gruhl

  3. Friedrich–Alexander–Universität Erlangen–Nürnberg (FAU), GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Paläontologie, Loewenichstraße 28, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Christian Schulbert & Sebastian Teichert

  4. Senckenberg am Meer Wilhelmshaven, Deutsches Zentrum für Marine Biodiversitätsforschung, Südstrand 44, 26382, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

    Jannik Schnier & Alexander Kieneke

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  1. Jannik Schnier
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Correspondence to Alexander Kieneke.

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All applicable international, national, and institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. No endangered species or animals from protected areas were used for this study. This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Schnier, J., Ahlrichs, W.H., Gruhl, A. et al. Ultrastructure of the epidermal gland system of Tetranchyroderma suecicum Boaden, 1960 (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida) indicates a defensive function of its exudate. Zoomorphology 138, 443–462 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-019-00462-4

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