Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-qlrfm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-10T20:52:38.509Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Function of the Heart-Body in Polychaetes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

G. Y. Kennedy
Affiliation:
Cancer Research Unit, University of Sheffield,
R. Phillips Dales
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, Bedford College, London

Extract

The heart-bodies and some other tissues of a number of polychaetes have been examined chemically, and the porphyrin pigments from these tissues described. Coproporphyrin III was shown to be present in relatively large concentration in all the heart-bodies, together with traces of coproporphyrin I, a tricarboxylic porphyrin and protohaematin. The body wall of light (pink) and dark (brown) coloured Arenicola and of Amphitrite also contained these pigments in varying amounts. Other non-porphyrin pigments were also seen in the body wall of some animals, the most remarkable being a colourless compound with a bright blue-fluorescence occurring in Flabelligera. Evidence is presented which supports the view that the heart-body is an haematopoietic organ, and the significance of this is discussed. Parallels are drawn between the occurrence of free porphyrins in marine animals and the occurrence of such pigments in porphyrias in man.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1958

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ashworth, J. H., 1904. Arenicola. L.M.B.C. Memoirs, No. 11, 118 pp. London: Williams and Norgate.Google Scholar
Bloch-Raphael, C., 1939. Localisation, formation et destruction de l'hémoglobine chez les Annélides Polychétes. Ann. Inst. océanogr. Monaco, T. 19, Fasc. I, pp. 178.Google Scholar
Booij, H. L. & Rimington, C., 1957. Effect of pre-heating on porphyrin synthesis by red cells. Biochem. J., Vol. 65, p. 4P.Google Scholar
Chu, J. C.Green, A. A. & Chu, E. J., 1951. Microchromatography of porphyrin esters. J. biol. Chem., Vol. 190, pp. 643–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dales, R. P., 1957. Preliminary observations on the role of the coelomic cells in food storage and transport in certain polychaetes. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K., Vol. 36, pp. 91110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dresel, E. I. B., 1955. The biosynthesis of haem. Ciba Foundation Symposium on Porphyrin Synthesis and Metabolism. 308 pp. London: Churchill.Google Scholar
Eisig, H., 1887. Monographie der Capitelliden des Golfes von Neapel. Fauna u. Flora Neapel, Monogr. 16, 906 pp. Berlin: Friedländer.Google Scholar
Eriksen, L., 1953. Paper chromatography of porphyrin pigments. Scand.J. clin. Lab. Invest., Vol. 5, pp. 155–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eriksen, L., 1955. The relation of free erythrocyte porphyrins to haemoglobin bio-synthesis. Ciba Foundation Symposium on Porphyrin Synthesis and Metabolism. 308 pp. London: Churchill.Google Scholar
Fauvel, P., 1897. Recherches sur les Ampharétiens, Annélides Polychètes sédentaires. Bull. sci. Fr. Belg., T. 30, pp. 277488.Google Scholar
Fischer, H. & Zerweck, W., 1924. Über der Haemfarbstoff. Z. phys. Chem., Vol. 137, pp. 176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fox, D. L.Crane, S. C. & Mcconnaughey, B. H., 1948. A biochemical study of the marine annelid worm, Thoracophelia mucronata. J. mar. Res., Vol. 8, pp. 567–85.Google Scholar
Kench, J. E.Langley, F. A. & Wilkinson, J. F., 1953. Biochemical and pathological studies on congenital porphyria. Quart. J. Med., Vol. 22, pp. 285–94.Google ScholarPubMed
Kennedy, G. Y., 1953a. Partition paper chromatography of the porphyrins. Scand. J. clin. Lab. Invest., Vol. 5, pp. 281–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, G. Y., 1953b. Chlorocruoroporphyrin: a simple method of preparation. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K., Vol. 32, pp. 365–6.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, G. Y. & Vevers, H. G. 1953. The biology of Asterias rubens L. V. A porphyrin pigment in the integument. J.mar.biol. Ass. U.K., Vol. 32, pp. 235–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, G. Y. & Vevers, H. G. 1954. The occurrence of porphyrins in certain marine invertebrates. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K., Vol. 33, pp. 663–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, G. Y. 1956. Porphyrin pigments in the tectibranch mollusc Akera bullata o. F. Müller. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K., Vol. 35, pp. 35–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lignac, G. O. E., 1945. About arenicochrome and its possible significance as a mesocatalyst. Proc. Acad. Sci. Amst., Vol. 48, pp. 406–10.Google Scholar
Lockwood, W. H. & Rimington, C., 1957. Purification of an enzyme converting porphobilinogen to uroporphyrin. Biochem. J., Vol. 67, p. 8p.Google Scholar
Meyer, E., 1887. Studien über den Körperbau der Anneliden. Mitt. zool. Sta. Neapel, Bd. 7, pp. 592741.Google Scholar
Nicholas, R. E. H., 1951. Chromatographic methods for the separation and identification of porphyrins. Biochem. J., Vol. 48, pp. 309–13.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Picton, L. J., 1898. On the heart-body and coelomic fluid of certain Polychaeta. Quart. J. micr. Sci., Vol. 41, pp. 263302.Google Scholar
Rimington, C., 1939. A reinvestigation of turacin, the copper porphyrin pigment of certain birds belonging to the Musophagidae. Proc. roy. Soc., B, Vol. 127, pp. 106–20.Google Scholar
Rimington, C. & Booij, H. L., 1957. Porphyrin biosynthesis in human red cells. Biochem. J., Vol. 65, p. 3P.Google Scholar
Romieu, M., 1923. Recherches histophysiologiques sur le sang et le corps cardiaque des Annélides Polychétes. Thés. Fac. Sci. Univ. Paris, 336 pp., Paris: Doin.Google Scholar
Salensky, W., 1884. Études sur le développement des Annélides. Part III, Pileolaria, Aricia et Terebella. Arch, biol., Liège, Vol. 4, pp. 143264.Google Scholar
Schneider, G., 1897. Über die Segmentalorgane und den Herzkörper einiger Polychäten. Arb. d. Kaiserl. Naturf. Ges. St Petersburg, Vol. 27, pp. 135–7.Google Scholar
Schneider, G., 1899. Über Phagocytose und Excretion bei den Anneliden. Z. wiss. Zool., Bd. 66, pp. 497520.Google Scholar
Schwartz, S. & Ikeda, K., 1955. Studies of porphyrin synthesis and interconnexion. Ciba Foundation Symposium on Porphyrin Synthesis and Metabolism. 308 pp. London: Churchill.Google Scholar
Shemin, D., 1955. Discussion. Ciba Foundation Symposium on Porphyrin Synthesis and Metabolism. 308 pp. London: Churchill.Google Scholar
Turner, W. J., 1937. Studies on porphyria. I. Observations on the fox-squirrel, Sciurus niger. J. biol. Chem., Vol. 118, pp. 519–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Duijn, P.Havinga, E. & Lignac, G. o. E., 1951. Arenicochrome, a new pigment from Arenicola marina L. Experientia, Vol. 7, pp. 376–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vannotti, A., 1954. Porphyrins. 533 pp. London: Hilger and Watts.Google Scholar