There is growing interest in the use of cnidarians (corals, sea anemones, jellyfish and
hydroids) to investigate the evolution of key aspects of animal development, such as the …

INTRODUCTION The cnidarian polyp Hydra undergoes continual self-renewal and is
capable of whole-body regeneration from a small piece of tissue. The stem cell populations …

Marine bioresources produce a great variety of specific and potent bioactive molecules
including natural organic compounds such as fatty acids, polysaccharides, polyether …

Background Corals are capable of launching diverse immune defenses at the site of direct
contact with pathogens, but the molecular mechanisms of this activity and the colony-wide …

The Myxozoa comprise over 2,000 species of microscopic obligate parasites that use both
invertebrate and vertebrate hosts as part of their life cycle. Although the evolutionary origin …

Many corals harbour symbiotic dinoflagellate algae. The algae live inside coral cells in a
specialized membrane compartment known as the symbiosome, which shares the …

Nematocytes, the stinging cells of cnidarians, are the most evolutionarily ancient venom
apparatus. These nanosyringe-like weaponry systems reach pressures of approximately …

Nematocysts or cnidocysts represent the common feature of all cnidarians. They are large
organelles produced from the Golgi apparatus as a secretory product within a specialized …

Lectin histochemistry has revealed cell-type-selective glycosylation. It is under dynamic and
spatially controlled regulation. Since their chemical properties allow carbohydrates to reach …

Background Cnidocytes are specialized cells that define the phylum Cnidaria. They possess
an “explosive” organelle called cnidocyst that is important for prey capture and anti-predator …