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Published November 26, 1981 | public
Journal Article

Epithelial cells of Hydra are dye-coupled

Abstract

In the past decade, a strong correlation has been established between gap junctions, seen in cell ultrastructure studies, and cell coupling (ionic, metabolic or dye coupling) assayed physiologically1. In Hydra, ultrastructural analyses have indicated that the epithelial cells of both cell layers are connected extensively by gap junctions; lap junctions have also been observed between the two layers. On the basis of these results, one would expect electrical and dye coupling between epithelial cells of Hydra. However, de Laat et al. reported that these cells were neither dye- nor electrically coupled, which was unexpected as cells in another coelenterate have been shown to be coupled ionically. Cell-cell coupling in Hydra is particularly interesting because extensive experiments on head regeneration in this coelenterate have led to well-defined models of patterning that require communication between cells of the type that may be provided by gap junctions. We have re-examined dye coupling in Hydra and we report here that, after injection of Lucifer yellow into single epithelial cells, neighbouring cells were observed to contain the dye. We conclude that the pithelial of cells of Hydra are indeed dye-coupled.

Additional Information

© 1981 Macmillan Journals Ltd. Received 31 July; accepted 29 September 1981. We thank Dr M. Bronner-Fraser and P. Bode for critical reading of the manuscript. This work was supported by grants Hd08086 and GM29130 and NSF grant BNS-8023638.

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 18, 2023