Porocyte

Porocytes are tubular cells which make up the pores of a sponge known as ostia.^[1]

Description[]

Covering the sponge is a layer of cells known as the pinacoderm, which is composed of pinacocytes. In a sponge, pinacocytes are a thin, elastic layer which keeps water out. Between the pinacocytes, there are the porocytes that allow water into the sponge. Myocytes are small muscular cells that open and close the porocytes. They also form a circular ring around the osculum and help in closing and opening of it. Once through the pores, water travels down canals. The opening to a porocyte is a pore known as an ostium.

In sponges, like Scypha, there are some cells that have an intracellular pore. These cells are known as porocytes. They are present in the Leucosolenia (an asconoid sponge) in the body wall through which water enters the body or they are present in Scypha (a ) as a connection between incurrent canal and radial canal. The pore is called an ostia in asconoid type sponges as it serves as the connection between the outside of the body and the spongocoel but called a prosopyle in syconoid sponges. They are modified pinacocytes.

Porocyte

Porocytes are unique, elongated, tubular cells . Each porocyte allows water to flow inside the spongocoel from the surrounding aquatic habitat. The pore through which water flows in is called ostium (singular). There are innumerable ostia (plural).

The porocytes can contract, thus closing the pores during unfavourable environmental conditions.

Below a Porocyte is labeled, this is a cartoon depicting an enlarged cross section of a

Sponge for better visual understanding.

https://socratic.org/questions/what-are-the-functions-of-sponges-specialized-cells-archaeocytes-choanocytes-por

Work Cited

Britannica Porocyte. (n.d.). Retrieved November 01, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/science/porocyte

P, M. (2016, November 16). What are the functions of sponges' specialized cells: Archaeocytes, choanocytes, porocytes?: Socratic. Retrieved November 01, 2021, from https://socratic.org/questions/what-are-the-functions-of-sponges-specialized-cells-archaeocytes-choanocytes-por

https://socratic.org/questions/what-are-the-functions-of-sponges-specialized-cells-archaeocytes-choanocytes-por

Notes[]

^ Simpson, T.L. (2012-12-06). The Cell Biology of Sponges. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 256. ISBN 9781461252146. Retrieved 9 November 2017.

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[Simpson2012-1] Simpson, T.L. (2012-12-06). The Cell Biology of Sponges. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 256. ISBN 9781461252146. Retrieved 9 November 2017.

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