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Updated: Jan 7, 2026

Characterization of Calcification Events Using Live Optical and Electron Microscopy Techniques in a Marine Tubeworm
Published on: February 28, 2017
Insights on the intracellular trafficking of calcifying medium in a reef-building coral
Benoît Chatin1, Marie Robert1, Alexander A Venn1
1Marine Biology Department, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, 8 Quai Antoine 1er, Monaco, Monaco.
Abstract:
Biomineralization is the process by which corals build their exoskeletons, and ultimately the reef ecosystem framework. The current model of biomineralization in these animals involves the endocytosis of calcifying medium by the calcifying cells lining the exoskeleton, followed by the intracellular formation of amorphous calcium carbonate precursors. However, the intracellular trafficking pathways inside these cells are poorly described. In this study, we investigated the intracellular trafficking of calcifying medium at the growing edge of laterally extending Stylophora pistillata colonies. Using a combination of fluorescent probes and immunofluorescence, along with confocal microscopy in living and fixed samples, we observed that a portion of the endocytosed calcifying medium is directed towards the Rab11-dependent endosomal recycling system, and we suggest that this pathway can be involved in the process of biomineral formation.
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