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Effects of light on ocelli of seastars

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Summary

Dark- and light-adapted ocelli of three seastars (Patina miniata, Leptasterias pusilla, Henricia leviuscula) were studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In the dark-adapted state the process of each receptor cell is relatively devoid of clear vesicles. Numerous long microvilli arise from the tips and sides of the processes. Cilia from the sensory processes project into the lumen of an ocellus; they are unconnected to the microvilli. In light-adapted ocelli each process is filled with clear pinocytotic vesicles of varying size. The microvilli are now irregular. Many lie free in the lumen of an ocellus or within phagocytic vacuoles in the supportive and corneal cells. These findings are evidence of a microvillar (rhabdomeric) type of photoreceptor in seastars and of cyclic turnover of receptoral membrane.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of California, 94720, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Richard M. Eakin & Jean L. Brandenburger

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  1. Richard M. Eakin
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  2. Jean L. Brandenburger
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Additional information

The authors are grateful to the U.S. Public Health Service for a grant-in-aid of research (EY02229), to the Electron Microscope Laboratory on the Berkeley campus for use of facilities, and to Carol T. Reed for assistance on preliminary studies

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Eakin, R.M., Brandenburger, J.L. Effects of light on ocelli of seastars. Zoomorphologie 92, 191–200 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994084

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994084

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