Evolutionary origins of sensation in metazoans: functional evidence for a new sensory organ in sponges.

ABSTRACT:

Background

One of the hallmarks of multicellular organisms is the ability of their cells to trigger responses to the environment in a coordinated manner. In recent years primary cilia have been shown to be present as 'antennae' on almost all animal cells, and are involved in cell-to-cell signaling in development and tissue homeostasis; how this sophisticated sensory system arose has been little-studied and its evolution is key to understanding how sensation arose in the Animal Kingdom. Sponges (Porifera), one of the earliest evolving phyla, lack conventional muscles and nerves and yet sense and respond to changes in their fluid environment. Here we demonstrate the presence of non-motile cilia in sponges and studied their role as flow sensors.

Results

Demosponges excrete wast

SUBMITTER: Ludeman DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3890488 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature