Active Transport of Calcium in a Scleractinian?

[mesocosm]

Greetings All !

During a recent search regarding potassium and corals, I came across this ...


Low temperature X-ray microanalysis of calcium in a scleractinian coral: evidence of active transport mechanisms.

By Peta L. Clode and Alan T. Marshall
Analytical Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Department of Zoology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Melbourne. Victoria, 3083, Australia
The Journal of Experimental Biology 205, 3543-3552 (2002)
Copyright © 2002 The Company of Biologists Limited

Full Text Article



I'm a serious microscopy geek-wannabe, so I just had to post these micrographs that are part of the article ...



Fig. 2. Scanning electron micrograph of a typical fracture surface of the oral epithelium of a frozen-hydrated and superficially etched Galaxea fascicularis polyp prepared for selected area analyses. The external seawater layer (EXT), oral ectoderm (OE), mesogloea (Mg), oral gastrodermis (OG), zooxanthellae (Zx), mucus granules (M) and extrathecal coelenteron (ETC) are clearly distinguishable. Scale bar, 10 µm.





Fig. 3. Scanning electron micrograph of a typical fracture surface of the aboral epithelium of a frozen-hydrated and superficially etched Galaxea fascicularis polyp prepared for selected area analyses. The skeleton (Sk), calicoblastic ectoderm (CE), mesogloea (Mg), aboral gastrodermis (AG) and extrathecal coelenteron (ETC) are visible. Scale bar, 10 µm.





Fig. 4. Transmission electron micrograph showing the mucus layer (ML) located within the external seawater layer at the outer surface of oral ectodermal cells (OE), in a freeze-substituted, sectioned Galaxea fascicularis polyp. Abundant mucocytes (M) within the oral ectoderm are also visible. Scale bar, 2 µm.



As the investigation into the role of potassium in the metabolism of corals proceeds, this one might be worth a read. For anyone interested in the composition and structure of "mucus nets" ... coral feeding behavior ... it might definitely be worth a read.



JMO.

[Detritivore]

lemme try to understand this gary... these are pics of freeze-dried coral tissue?

[shaggy]

SEM's are sure fun. Got to use one a few times during Grad School ... looking at rocks, not coral though.

Thanks for the link

The establishment of a mucus layer at the SW—oral ectoderm interface may facilitate the uptake of Ca2+ into the oral ectodermal cells, with Ca2+ able to exist in higher concentrations in a Donnan state within this mucus matrix, in comparison to the normal SW environment. At night-time when calcification rates fall (Marshall, 1996), the demand for Ca2+ is reduced and the presence and influence of this mucus layer at the apical surface of the oral ectodermal cells, also declines.

Huh, slime helps the coral uptake Ca++. Go figure.
Just never thought about different day/night sliming ...

[Aged Salt]

An interesting corollary, Gary/Shabby, is that since I've been dosing C-V[3mos.], is both coral growth & the return of the it's slime coat. Bob

[mesocosm]

Greetings All !

An interesting corollary, Gary/Shabby, is that since I've been dosing C-V[3mos.], is both coral growth & the return of the it's slime coat. Bob

Indeed ...

I've often wondered if the "bacterioplankton generation" aspect of the ZEOvit methodology stimulates "mucus-net" production in a manner analogous to the way that polyp extension is stimulated by the addition of "properly sized" organic particulates ("food") into the water column.

Hmmm ...

[mesocosm]

Bump! ...