Nuclear microscope analysis of blood cells from the tropical ascidian Phallusia philippinensis

Abstract

The present study examines the concentrations of vanadium, bromine and sulphur contained within cryofixed/freeze dried blood cells of the ascidian Phallusia philippinensis (Millar, 1975). Elemental profiles of seven cell types were obtained using the National University of Singapore nuclear microscope. Morula cells were found to contain the following mean values; 0.8% vanadium, 3.5% bromine and 6.1% sulphur. Signet ring cells contained 0.5% vanadium, 2.4% bromine and 1.5% sulphur. Compartment cells had 0.1% vanadium, 2.1% bromine and 2.4% sulphur. Other less abundant cell types such as lymphocytes, macrogranular amoebocytes, carotenoid pigment cells and granular amoebocytes were also analysed and found to contain 0.4%, 0.7%, 0.2% and 1.0% vanadium, 2.0%, 1.6%, 0.6% and 1.2% bromine and 1.3%, 1.5%, 0.3% and 4.3% sulphur respectively. Sulphur occurred in high levels in all cell types, which could indicate its involvement in the vanadium concentration process, while bromine, incorporated into complexes, may be utilised for anti-fouling rather than as a deterrent to predators.