What is an Archaeocyte What is its function?

Archaeocytes. Archaeocytes are very important to the functioning of a sponge. These cells are totipotent, which means that they can change into all of the other types of sponge cells. Archaeocytes ingest and digest food caught by the choanocyte collars and transport nutrients to the other cells of the sponge.

What type of cells are archaeocytes?

Archaeocytes (from Greek archaios “beginning” and kytos “hollow vessel”) or amoebocytes are amoeboid cells found in sponges. They are totipotent and have varied functions depending on the species.

What is the cellular organization of sponges?

Sponges have cellular-level organization, meaning that that their cells are specialized so that different cells perform different functions, but similar cells are not organized into tissues and bodies are a sort of loose aggregation of different kinds of cells.

What are choanocytes cells?

Choanocytes are specialized cells that have a single flagellum surrounded by a net-like collar of microvilli (Figure 3). Choanocytes join together creating the choanoderm, where they perform two major functions. The first is to create a flow of water and the second is to capture food items as they pass by these cells.

What do pinacocytes do?

Pinacocytes are part of the epithelium in sponges. They play a role in movement (contracting and stretching), cell adhesion, signaling, phagocytosis, and polarity. Pinacocytes are filled with mesohyl which is a gel like substance that helps maintain the shape and structure of the sponge.

What are pinacocytes and choanocytes?

Choanocytes are body cells of sponges and pinacocytes are flat shaped cells that make up the pinacoderm of sponges. The key difference between choanocytes and pinacocytes is that choanocytes contain flagella while pinacocytes do not contain flagella.

Are amoebocytes and archaeocytes the same?

Archaeocytes, often called amoebocytes, are amoeboid cells (i.e., they have the ability to move); their cytoplasm contains large quantities of ribonucleic acid (RNA), and their large nuclei contain small bodies known as nucleoli.

What are archaeocytes in gemmules?

The Archaeocytes are reproductive cells and the spicule is the sharp-pointed structure, which is involved in protecting the gemmules from predators and also provide structural support to the gemmules.

Why sponges are cellular level of organization?

All members of Animalia are multicellular, but all of them do not exhibit the same pattern of organisation of cells. In sponges, the cells are arranged as loose cell aggregates, i.e., they exhibit cellular level of organisation.

What are the 4 types of cells in a sponge?

Although sponges do not have organized tissue, they depend on specialized cells, such as choanocytes, porocytes, amoebocytes, and pinacocytes, for specialized functions within their bodies.

What is the correct role of choanocyte cell?

The collar is made of many microvilli and is why these cells are also referred to as collar cells. The choanocytes carry out a variety of functions including circulation, capturing food, and assisting with reproduction. The movement of the flagellum creates water currents that aid in circulation.

Where are choanocytes found?

sponges
Choanocytes are found in sponges, i.e. in the phylum Porifera.