Preliminary ultrastructural and autoradiographic evidence that the trophonema of the sea anemoneActinia fragaceahas a nutritive function

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Abstract
The developing oocyte of the sea anemone Actinia fragacea is associated with a distinct group of gonad epithelial cells which constitute the trophonema. Electron microscopy has shown that the cells of the trophonema extend through a pore in the mesoglea which surrounds the oocyte, and make intimate contact with the oocyte surface. The ooplasm beneath this region of contact differs from the rest of the oocyte in containing numerous small vesicles, but few yolk granules or other organelles. Light microscope autoradiography has shown that oocytes within gonads can take up and incorporate tritiated glucose and leucine from solution. The cells of the trophonema appear more active in precursor incorporation than other gonad epithelial cells. The evidence therefore suggests that these cells have a nutritive function during oogenesis.

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