A QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF ELEMENTS IN THE BLOOD-CELLS OF THE TROPICAL ASCIDIAN PHALLUSIA-PHILIPPINENSIS USING THE NUCLEAR MICROSCOPE

Two types of blood cells of the tropical ascidian Phallusia philippinensis have been studied using the NUS nuclear microscope. Morula cells were found to contain 1-2% (by weight) of vanadium and 0.1-0.85% of bromine and signet ring cells about 0.16% vanadium and much reduced levels of bromine (about 50 ppm or less). The signet ring cells were also found to contain very high levels of sulphur (20 wt%), calcium (16 wt%) and oxygen (40 wt% of the cell matrix). The occurrence of sulphur and oxygen in the approximate ratios of 1:4 adds weight to the suggestion by several authors of the presence of sulphates in the ascidian blood cells. Such high levels of sulphur and oxygen were not seen in the morula cells.