How do jellyfish sting?
Jellyfish tentacles are packed with stinging cells called cnidocytes . The cnidocyte has a structure that consists of a capsule that contains toxic substances, around which a filament is wound that can be armed with a series of spines at the base or distributed throughout its length. The upper part is covered by an operculum that opens when an external tactile stimulus is produced, and in fractions of a second the stinging filament is unscrewed. Each cnidocyte can only be used once , so once discharged it is replaced by another new cell.
What toxins do jellyfish and other cnidarians produce?
Among other toxins, jellyfish venom may contain hypnocin , which causes drowsiness, muscle and respiratory paralysis, and has anesthetic properties; thalassin , which causes hives and edema in small doses and nerve palsy in high doses; and congestin , which attacks the digestive tract causing vomiting, abdominal pain, as well as respiratory problems.
What is the most poisonous jellyfish?
The most poisonous animal in the world is a cubomedusa, named Chironex fleckeri , which produces the so-called “Irukandji” syndrome . The sting is not detected, but between 10 and 40 minutes later, a whole series of cardiovascular, respiratory, abdominal problems, etc., are triggered, leading to death.
Were Jellyfish the First Animals on Earth?
In 2008, the biologist Casey Dunn, from Brown University (USA), published a study in the journal Nature in which, after analyzing around 40 million base pairs of 29 animal species, he concluded that a group of jellyfish-like animals with spikes called ctenophores are the most ancient beings in existence, thus ousting the sponges at the “base” of the tree of life.
Are there immortal jellyfish?
The Turritopsis nutricula species could be the only animal in the world that has actually discovered the fountain of eternal youth . This hydrozoan, bell-shaped and barely half a centimeter long, does not die after reaching its adult state, but is capable of returning to its juvenile form (polyp) and repeating its life cycle until reaching a second maturity … and a third , and a fourth … So up to a potentially infinite number of times, according to scientists. Researchers are thoroughly studying its biology to discover how it can reverse the aging process.
What is Green Fluorescent Protein?
The North Pacific jellyfish Aequoria victoria uses green fluorescent protein (GFP) to emit bioluminescence that scares off potential predators. Molecular biologists have found a way to use it in research, coupling the gene for GFP to other genes that code for numerous proteins, thus creating luminous proteins that are easily observable in living cells. GFP has been used to study processes such as cell division in yeast, the development of the nervous system in worms or the evolution of tumors.
