Rapid Wound Repair in the Ctenophore Mnemiopsis spp.

Abstract

The ability to quickly and efficiently close a wound is an integral part of any organism’s ability to survive. Marine organisms are exposed to numerous environmental pressures that demand the need for a rapid repair response. The delicate marine comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi faces damage from predation, as well as objects found in its natural surroundings, such as coarse sea grass and sediment. This damage presents the need to quickly and efficiently repair the wound to prevent further injury or infestation by degradative microbes that enter exposed mesoglea and gastrovascular canals. Mnemiopsis has evolved a rapid, scar-free wound repair mechanism that quickly seals the mesoglea away from the external environment. Here I describe the morphological changes that occur during repair, the development of a ctenophore wound cell culture system, and provide an initial look at gene expression during the repair response.