Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Ciliary Motion

Mechanism of Ciliary Motion

The ciliary structures were first seen in 1647 by Antonie Leeuwenhoek while observing the protozoans. In lower organisms, these appendages are responsible for cell movement, while in higher organisms, these appendages help in the movement of the extracellular fluids within the body cavities.
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...

Microtubules in Signaling

Microtubules in Signaling

The primary cilium, made up of microtubules, acts as antennae on the cell surfaces for relaying external stimuli into the cells. These fine hair-like structures are present, generally one per cell. These are non-motile cilia in a 9+0 microtubules arrangement, where the central pair of microtubules are absent. The primary cilia arise from the basal body embedded in the cell membrane. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) carries requisite proteins from the cytoplasm to the cilium because the primary...

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...

Internal Receptors

Internal Receptors

Many cellular signals are hydrophilic and therefore cannot pass through the plasma membrane. However, small or hydrophobic signaling molecules can cross the hydrophobic core of the plasma membrane and bind to internal, or intracellular, receptors that reside within the cell. Many mammalian steroid hormones use this mechanism of cell signaling, as does nitric oxide (NO) gas.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Ecological replacement versus process-based recovery of Caribbean reefs.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Estimating Toxicity Putative Mechanisms from Smoking Residual Substances Using a Whole-Cell Bioreporter System.

Biosensors·2025

Same author

Whole-Cell Bioreporter-Based Assay for Detecting Fungal-Derived β-Lactamase Inhibitors.

Biosensors·2025

Same author

Bio-informed synthesis of marine-sourced indole derivatives: suppressing gram-negative bacteria biofilm and virulence.

BMC biology·2025

Same author

Microscale tracking of coral-vibrio interactions.

ISME communications·2023

Same author

Anti-Virulence Activity of 3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM): A Bioactive Cruciferous Phytochemical with Accelerated Wound Healing Benefits.

Pharmaceutics·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and 5-Ethynyl-2'-Deoxyuridine Labeling for Stem-Like Cells in the Hydrozoan Jellyfish Cladonema pacificum

Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and 5-Ethynyl-2'-Deoxyuridine Labeling for Stem-Like Cells in the Hydrozoan Jellyfish Cladonema pacificum

Published on: August 3, 2022

Cnidarian internal stinging mechanism.

Ami Schlesinger¹, Eliahu Zlotkin, Esti Kramarsky-Winter

¹Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences

|January 9, 2009

Summary

Sea anemones use stinging cells called nematocysts internally to pierce and inject venom into prey within their body cavity. This internal stinging mechanism aids digestion in anemones lacking chewing mouthparts.

More Related Videos

Surgical Removal of a Complex Sensory Organ in Highly Regenerative Ctenophores

Surgical Removal of a Complex Sensory Organ in Highly Regenerative Ctenophores

Published on: August 8, 2025

Genotyping of Sea Anemone during Early Development

Genotyping of Sea Anemone during Early Development

Published on: May 13, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and 5-Ethynyl-2'-Deoxyuridine Labeling for Stem-Like Cells in the Hydrozoan Jellyfish Cladonema pacificum

Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and 5-Ethynyl-2'-Deoxyuridine Labeling for Stem-Like Cells in the Hydrozoan Jellyfish Cladonema pacificum

Published on: August 3, 2022

Surgical Removal of a Complex Sensory Organ in Highly Regenerative Ctenophores

Surgical Removal of a Complex Sensory Organ in Highly Regenerative Ctenophores

Published on: August 8, 2025

Genotyping of Sea Anemone during Early Development

Genotyping of Sea Anemone during Early Development

Published on: May 13, 2019

Area of Science:

Marine Biology
Zoology
Cell Biology

Background:

Cnidarians, including sea anemones, possess nematocysts for delivering venomous compounds.
Nematocysts are typically known for external stinging functions.
Internal roles of nematocysts in prey capture and digestion are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the internal function of nematocysts in sea anemones.
To identify if sea anemones utilize internal stinging mechanisms for prey processing.
To provide the first report of internal nematocyst action in Cnidaria.

Main Methods:

Observation of sea anemone internal tissues.
In vitro degradation assays using isolated sea anemone tissues and live Artemia salina nauplii.
Microscopic examination of prey items for evidence of nematocyst penetration.

Main Results:

Sea anemones were observed to actively inject prey within their body cavity with cytolytic venom.
Isolated internal tissues from sea anemones degraded live Artemia salina nauplii in vitro.
Microscopic analysis confirmed that nauplii were pierced by discharged nematocysts.

Conclusions:

This study presents the first evidence of an internal piercing mechanism utilizing nematocysts in sea anemones.
This internal stinging phenomenon likely assists digestive phagocytic processes in sea anemones.
The findings reveal a novel predatory strategy in anemones lacking mastication capabilities.