Abstract
An analysis of the presence of catechol-derivatives in the sea anemonesMetridium senile andTealia felina, made with the aid of high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), established the presence of dopa, 5-OH-dopa, and 5-S-cysteinyldopa. In addition, 2-S-cysteinyldopa and 2.5-diSS-cysteinyldopa occurred inMetridium. Two unknown substances were found to be present in the tentacles ofMetridium and in the tentacles of some specimens ofTealia. Neither catecholamines nor serotonin could be traced in detectable amounts. No dopa-decarboxylase could be demonstrated by the assay performed in this investigation. 6-OH-dopa, 6-OH-dopamine and reserpine had no effect on the formaldehyde-induced fluorescence of the subepithelial tentacular nerve net ofTealia. It is concluded that the tentacular nerve net of sea anemones contains dopa, but neither catecholamines nor serotonin. The localization of the other compounds is not yet established.

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