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Journal Molluscan Studies Advance Access originally published online on September 26, 2006
Journal of Molluscan Studies 2006 72(4):349-357; doi:10.1093/mollus/eyl017
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved

Ultrastructural comparison of Aplysia and Dolabrifera ink glands suggests cellular sites of anti-predator protein production and algal pigment processing

Jeffrey S. Prince1 and Paul Micah Johnson2,3

1 Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33124, USA; 2 Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30302, USA; and 3 Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA

Correspondence: J.S. Prince; e-mail: jeffprince{at}miami.edu

Ultrastructural comparison between the ink gland of a sea hare species that produces copious purple ink (Aplysia californica) and one that produces none (Dolabrifera dolabrifera), suggests that the rough endoplasmic reticulum rich cell and not the ink vesicle cell is the site for synthesis of A. californica's anti-predator ink protein, escapin. Dolabrifera dolabrifera were found to have vestigial ink glands incapable of producing ink or its associated anti-predator proteins regardless of diet. This study also suggests that the granulate cells serve only as a storage site for excess ink pigment acquired during periods of luxury feeding on red algae. Slit dimensions in sieve areas of granulate cells are also significantly different between the two species. These slit sizes are larger than those of rhogocytes, a related cell type commonly found in connective tissue of gastropod molluscs. Several traits of granulate cells suggest that they are distinct from rhogocytes and are a special cell type in the ink gland of sea hares.

(Received 1 July 2005; accepted 1 April 2006)


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J. S. Prince
OPALINE GLAND ULTRASTRUCTURE IN APLYSIA CALIFORNICA (GASTROPODA: ANASPIDEA)
J. Mollus. Stud., July 11, 2007; (2007) eym016v1.
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