Images

The Martindale Lab works with these fascinating animals.

Differential interference microscopy (DIC) time lapse movie of the embryonic development of the lobate ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. The animal/oral pole is facing upwards. The movie covers the first 8.5 hours of development (up until the “Mickey Mouse’ stage) starting at the 2 cell-stage.  Note the unique unipolar cleavages characteristic of ctenophore development.


An embryo of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in which one of the “ oral micromere” cells that gives rise to mesodermal (muscle) cells was labeled with the red lipophilic dye DiI after gastrulation. The oral pole is facing the top of the movie. Note how the labeled cells migrate to the aboral pole and then migrate laterally under the overlying epidermis. This movie only covers approximately 30 minutes of development but show how dynamic cell movements are during development and how knowing the precise fate map can be used to understand embryogenesis.


Nematostella vectensis

Nematostella vectensis

PAR-3 and LGL become asymmetrically localized during the early development of Nematostella vectensis.

Nematostella vectensis

Nematostella vectensis

PAR-3 and LGL become asymmetrically localized during the early development of Nematostella vectensis.

Nematostella vectensis

Nematostella vectensis

PAR-3 and LGL become asymmetrically localized during the early development of Nematostella vectensis.

Nematostella vectensis

Nematostella vectensis

PAR-3 and LGL become asymmetrically localized during the early development of Nematostella vectensis.

Ctenophore

Ctenophore

Confocal micrograph of lateral view of a juvenile Florida Beroe ovata ctenophore stained for filamentous actin (green). The apical organ is located at the top of the image and the four tracks of ciliated grooves descend to the tops of the four comb rows seen in this image. Also shown are the complex pattern of muscle cells that run just under the surface of the epidermis. Image taken by David Kainoa Simmons here at the Whitney Marine Lab.

Ctenophore

Ctenophore

Confocal micrograph of lateral view of a juvenile Florida Beroe ovata ctenophore stained for filamentous actin (green). The apical organ is located at the top of the image and the four comb rows seen in this image are linked by a complex pattern of muscle cells that run deep under the surface of the epidermis. Image taken by David Kainoa Simmons here at the Whitney Marine Lab.

Ctenophore

Ctenophore

Confocal micrograph of a tentacle of a juvenile Florida Pleurobrachia ctenophore stained for filamentous actin (green) and neurons (red). Nuclei are labeled blue. The tentacle runs from upper right to lower left and contains tentacular nerves and the “sticky” colloblast cells (small green ‘grapes’ with blue nuclei in the center) that attach to prey items. A small branch of the tentacle can also be seen running vertically on the left side of the image. Under the tentacle is the surface of the animal with its chickenwire-like nerve net (red). Image taken by David Kainoa Simmons here at the Whitney Marine Lab.

Ctenophore

Ctenophore

Confocal micrograph of the polar field region of the apical organ of the Florida ctenophore Pleuobrachia. Nuclei are shown in blue and neural elements in red both within, and under the surrounding epidermis (anti tyrosine tubulin). Image taken by David Kainoa Simmons here at the Whitney Marine Lab.

Euprymna Scolopes

Euprymna Scolopes

The Martindale lab has utilized embryos from a diverse array of species, like this Hawaiian Bobtail Squid (Euprymna scolopes), to understand the evolution of biological novelties.

Acoel Flatworm

Acoel Flatworm

Embryos of acoelomorphs, like this acoel flatworm, are pivotal for understanding the origin of the anterior-posterior axis, bilateral symmetry, and a definitive mesodermal tissue layer during animal evolution

Nematostella vectensis

Nematostella vectensis

Did you know that the genome of this starlet sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, has more genes in common with human beings than either fruit flies or soil nematodes do (Putnam et al, 2007)?

Nematostella vectensis

Benthic Ctenophore

This benthic ctenophore (Coeloplana sp) crawls around on the ocean floor and is an example of a group of animals that are likely to be the earliest branching extant clade of animals.

Cassiopea

Cassiopea

“Upside Down Jellyfish” (called Cassiopea) is being used as a new model for symbiosis and coral bleaching.

Nematostella vectensis

Nematostella vectensis

These micrographs of different stages of the development of the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis show that their embryos look very similar to other animal embryos.

Phoronid

Phoronid

This is a confocal micrograph of the actinotroch larval stage of a phoronid whose muscle cells have been visualized with an actin binding dye. The oral hood (top) has opened up to reveal the larval mouth.

Phoronid

Nematostella vectensis

This is an image of a live transgenic sea anemone (Nematostella vectensis) generated by former Whitney postdoc Dr. Michael Layden showing a subset of its nervous system expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP). The mouth and oral tentacles are seen to the left.

Mnemiopsis leidyi

Mnemiopsis leidyi

Gross morphology of the cydippid stage ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi. Animals were chemically fixed prior to imaging. Picture by Dorothy Mitchell

Mnemiopsis leidyi cydippid

Mnemiopsis leidyi cydippid

Immunofluorescent staining of a whole Mnemiopsis leidyi cydippid. Animal is in the apical position and features DAPI(blue), anti-actin(green), and anti-tyrosinated tubulin. Photo by Dorothy Mitchell