Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, Vol s3-98, 315-326, Copyright © 1957 by Company of Biologists

Observations on the Structure of Hydra as seen with the Electron and Light Microscopes

¹ Department of Anatomy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.
² Department of Zoology, Cambridge University

Sections of hydra studied with the electron microscope show various structures which have been identified by referring to control histological sections and to previous descriptions. Certain features have also been examined in frozen-dried sections under the light microscope.

In the ectoderm, epithelio-muscular cells contain various organelles, and also smooth longitudinal muscle-fibres with which mitochondria may be associated. The so-called ‘supporting fibres’ appear to be thin bundles of muscle-fibres. Although points of contact exist between muscle-fibres, there appears to be no cytoplasmic continuity. The muscle-fibres insert on the mesogloea, and appear to be separated from it by two membranes, one belonging to the cytoplasm surrounding the musclefibreand the other to the mesogloea.

The mesogloea is extracellular and quite distinct from the intracellular muscle-fibres. It appears granular and sometimes presents an indistinct fibrous background. In frozen-dried material the mesogloea stains blue with Mallory's method, while the muscle-fibres stain red.

Two main types of cells are found in the endoderm. Among these, some of the digestive cells contain transverse muscle-fibres, but they are less distinct than the longitudinal ectodermal fibres. Otherwise the digestive cells vary much in structure, but generally they contain vacuoles and their free surface is thrown into villi covered with small granules. The ‘foamy gland cells’ are filled with much larger vacuoles containing granular material. The vacuoles are discharged together with portions of cytoplasm, and at this stage lamellated double membranes and mitochrondria appear between the vacuoles. Both types of cell possess two flagella, which show a typical ultrastructure and are surrounded by a thick membrane.

Various other cells of the ectoderm are distinguished by their characteristic appearance. Cnidoblasts, for instance, have been found to contain an extensive system of intercommunicating vacuoles bounded by membranes, and do not resemble the interstitial cells. In unexploded penetrant nematocysts the tube is preformed and the butt nd stylets can also be seen. The special gland-cells of the pedal disk show large, lectron-dense granules which are extruded from the cell without any cytoplasm. A relatively thick homogeneous layer on the surface of the pedal disk is distinguished by the electron microscope.