The Nerve-net of Metridium senile: Artifacts and the Nerve-net

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present paper follows an account of the structure of the nervous system of Metridium, senile (L.). Conflicting statements about the actinian nervous system in the earlier literature made it necessary to assess the results of previous workers critically. Several of their methods have now been repeated and compared with our results after using more specific techniques. The criteria for distinguishing nerve-cells from non-nervous elements in actinians are discussed. Mesogloeal fibres, amoebocytes, nematocyst threads, and muscle-fibres may on occasion be confused with nerve-cells, and deteriorating nerve-cells may also have a misleading appearance. Gross artifacts may be reduced by the use of special staining methods, and on the basis of this work the results of several earlier authors have been re-interpreted. It is concluded that the nervous system in the mesenteries and column of Metridium follows the epithelial layers and does not penetrate the mesogloea.