Injured ancient creatures have the ability to merge with others, as explained by a knowledgeable biologist.
Injured ancient creatures have the ability to merge with others, as explained by a knowledgeable biologist.
On a tranquil summer afternoon at the Marine Biological Laboratory situated in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Kei Jokura, a Japanese biologist with an obsession for ctenophores, was analyzing his recent collection. His research focused on understanding how these light-emitting creatures navigated their environment using light. In the lab, he studied live ctenophores to decipher their bioluminescent mechanisms.
Ctenophores are an evolutional relic with a distinctive background, and despite their resemblance to jellyfish, they belong to a separate family tree.
Among the golf-ball-sized ctenophores in his tank, Jokura spotted one that was different – a larger, unusual specimen boasting not one, but two mouths.
Upon closer examination with his colleague, they realized that the peculiar ctenophore wasn’t a single entity, but two combined ctenophores that had somehow merged into one.
The subsequent experiment, which took place under Jokura and his team's curiosity, would expose an unprecedented biological adaptation unknown to science.
It Takes 2 Hours For 2 'Damaged' Ctenophores To Merge Without Issue
Following the discovery of the conjoined ctenophores, Jokura and his team aimed to reproduce the anomaly. With the ctenophore species Mnemiopsis leidyi (commonly known as sea walnuts), they developed experiments to comprehend the intricacies and implications of this fusion.
The researchers first separated the bulbous lobes – large, soft, and commonly wing-shaped appendages – of two individual ctenophores and positioned them close to each other under controlled conditions.
Two hours had elapsed when the two had fused seamlessly, with no visible border.
During the following hours, the fused ctenophores synchronized their movements, as food ingested by one ctenophore traveled effortlessly into the other's digestive tract.
This fusion extended beyond the physical realm – it also affected their nervous systems, allowing the two ctenophores to function as a single entity. Researchers observed coordinated muscle contractions, confirming the integration of their bodily systems.
To confirm their findings, the team conducted the experiment ten times, varying conditions to establish reliability. They discovered that nine out of ten attempts were fruitful.
Ctenophores Do Not Distinguish Between 'Self' and 'Non-Self'
Ctenophores possess an extraordinary ability to incorporate foreign tissue into their bodies, erasing the boundary between self and non-self.
For most animals, the self vs. non-self concept is fundamental to survival. However, ctenophores like Mnemiopsis leidyi exist without this biological defense, making them an exception to the norm.
Allorecognition – the ability to discern one’s own tissues from those of another – is a keystone of multicellular life. It forms the foundation of immune systems across the animal kingdom, enabling organisms to combat pathogens, reject foreign tissues, and maintain bodily integrity.
The absence of allorecognition among ctenophores means they do not reject or attack foreign tissue, a crucial factor in the fusion experiments by Kei Jokura and his team.
Ctenophores Explore Alternative Ways of Survival
The lack of allorecognition in ctenophores poses thought-provoking questions regarding the evolution of multicellular life.
If these ancient entities can survive without immune systems responsible for distinguishing self from non-self, it may challenge accepted beliefs about the necessity of such systems for survival. This suggests that allorecognition may not be an indispensable feature of multicellularity but rather a specific adaptation to distinct environmental challenges or biological threats.
Moreover, the absence of allorecognition among ctenophores also offers intriguing opportunities for scientific exploration. Understanding how their cells absorb foreign tissue without rejection could lead to groundbreaking advancements in regenerative medicine and transplantation.
Ctenophores capture attention even in an ocean teeming with distinctive creatures. Does their fascinating adaptation provoke a desire to connect more deeply with the natural world? Take a 2-minute test to determine your position on the Connectedness to Nature Scale.
In their continued exploration of the unique properties of ctenophores, Jokura and his team decided to introduce the combined ctenophore to a tank filled with bioluminescent creatures, such as comb jellies and comb jelly bioluminescence.
The results were astonishing! The combined ctenophore appeared to imitate the bioluminescent patterns of its surroundings, adapting seamlessly to the new environment.
This behavior was particularly noticeable in the presence of the invasive comb jelly species, Mnemiopsis leidyi, commonly known as sea walnuts. The combined ctenophore effortlessly integrated their light emissions, creating a coordinated display of bioluminescence.
Scott Travers, a marine biologist who witnessed this remarkable event, commented, "The merging of these two ctenophores not only challenges our understanding of ctenophore biology but also opens up exciting possibilities in the field of bioluminescence research."
The ability of the combined ctenophore to adapt and integrate its bioluminescent properties with other bioluminescent creatures further highlighted the fascination of these enigmatic sea creatures and their extraordinary capabilities.