Physiology and histology of the Cubomedusæ: including Dr. F.S. Conant's notes on the physiologyBerger, E. W. (Edward William)
Science
Physiology and histology of the Cubomedusæ: including Dr. F.S. Conant's notes on the physiology
Berger, E. W. (Edward William)
Cubomedusae
Distally, the retinal cells of the simple eyes have each a fiber
(flagellum) that extends into the lumen (Figs. 12, 15, 16, 21). Each
flagellum has a dumbbell-shaped basal body just on its entrance into
its cell quite like the basal bodies described for the visual cells of
the complex eyes (Fig. 12, part left unpigmented). Each flagellum, or
fiber, can usually be seen to extend into the cell. In one series I found
appearances like Fig. 16, which is a drawing of a part of a section
through one of the proximal simple eyes. This section is quite in the
angle between the proximal complex eye and the group of network cells in
the upper part of the club. In this series I could very definitely trace
the distal fibers of the retinal cells centrad, past the nucleus and into
the subretinal nerve-tissue. These fibers could be so easily followed
that no doubt can exist as to the fact noted. It thus appears that the
axial fibers just described pass centrad through the cells and are
continued as nerve fibers. On the evidence of such sections as Fig. 16 I
have indicated these fibers as extending centrad through their cells. The
lumen of the simple eyes is filled with a homogeneous vitreous secretion.
This is often incomplete in some parts; occasionally the secretion
shows a formation of globules, but all this I believe to be due to the
action of reagents. Indeed, I have found simple eyes in which hardly any
secretion was present, while others showed an almost completely filled
cavity. In that portion of the vitreous secretion just outside the mouth
of the distal eyes I occasionally found numbers of very darkly staining
granules. I suspect that these are either bacterial or algal organisms.
As already noted, Claus and Schewiakoff describe two kinds of cells
for the retinas of these eyes which neither Conant nor myself can
demonstrate. Further, I believe I have shown that only one kind exists.
If any doubt should still exist, a section like Fig. 25 (which is from
the epithelium of the club, but similar smaller areas with central
dots could often be demonstrated in transverse sections of the retinal
cells of the simple eyes) I believe should be convincing. Schewiakoff
further describes flagella for the retinal cells (his visual cells) of
the simple eyes quite as I have described them for all the cells. The
pigmentation that Schewiakoff mentions as occurring in the secretions
within the lumina of these eyes I believe to have been dissolved in from
the pigmented zones. I find no definite pigmentation in these vitreous
secretions. These secretions are evidently products of the retinal cells
and have been so regarded by former observers.
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