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Ultrastructure of transrectal coelomoducts in the sea cucumber Parastichopus californicus (Echinodermata, Holothuroida)

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Summary

The perivisceral coelom of the sea cucumber Parastichopus californicus is connected to the lumen of the hindgut by as many as 200 short transrectal ducts. Each duct is lined by a pseudostratified epithelium composed of: (i) monociliated, tonofilament-containing cells, (ii) myoepithelial cells, (iii) bundles of neurites, and (iv) granule-containing cells. In most places the lumen of each duct is lined by the monociliated, tonofilament-containing cells. The myoepithelial cells are predominantly basal in position and circular in orientation, but some border the lumen and parallel the long axis of the duct. The epithelium of a duct consists of the same types of cells as occur in the peritoneum covering the rectum and differs markedly from the nonciliated, cuticularized epithelium that lines the lumen of the rectum. Based on ultrastructural characteristics, the transrectal ducts represent evaginations of the peritoneum overlying the rectum and are thus “coelomoducts” sensu Goodrich. The possibility is discussed that perivisceral coelomoducts of holothuroids function in regulating coelomic volumes.

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Abbreviations

AE :

adluminal epithelium

AF :

anal fold

ANC :

anal coelom

AS :

anal sphincter muscle

B :

bacterium

BL :

basal lamina

BW :

body wall

CC :

coelomocyte

CI :

cilium

CO :

collagen fibers

CT :

connective tissue

CTE :

ciliated, tonofilament-containing epithelial cell

D :

desmosome-like junction

FB :

fibroblast

GB :

Golgi bodies

GC :

axon-like process of granule-containing cell

HD :

hemidesmosome

IJ :

intermediate junction

INT :

intestine

LM :

longitudinal muscles of body wall

LRW :

luminal surface of rectal wall

ME :

myoepithelial cell

ML :

microlamellae

MY :

myelin-like material

NE :

neurite

NV :

nerve

NU :

nucleus

OI :

opening of intestine into rectum

PC :

perivisceral coelom

PT :

peritoneum

PTF :

papilliform tube feet

RW :

rectal wall

RL :

rectal lumen

RS :

rectal suspensor

RT :

respiratory trees

SJ :

septate junction

SO :

soma of adluminal epithelial cell

SM :

subepidermal muscle

TD :

transrectal duct

TF :

tonofilaments

WVC :

lateral water vascular canals

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Science, Northeast Missouri State University, 63501, Kirksville, MO, USA

    George L. Shinn

  2. Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 87131, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Stephen A. Stricker

  3. Department of Biology, University of Calgary, T2N 1N4, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Michael J. Cavey

Authors
  1. George L. Shinn
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  2. Stephen A. Stricker
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  3. Michael J. Cavey
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Shinn, G.L., Stricker, S.A. & Cavey, M.J. Ultrastructure of transrectal coelomoducts in the sea cucumber Parastichopus californicus (Echinodermata, Holothuroida). Zoomorphology 109, 189–199 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00312470

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