1/3/2024 0 Comments Why do sponge larvae moveWhen they reach the receiving cell, they come across an elaborate tangle of proteins called the post-synaptic density (PSD labelled in red below). These messages are carried by molecules called neurotransmitters that cross the synaptic gap. Synapses are junctions between two nerve cells that are allow them to pass signals to one another. And their versions share startling similarities with those of humans. With no neurons to speak of, these animals still have the genetic components of synapses, one of the most crucial parts of our nervous system. So it was with great surprise that Onur Sakarya from the University of California, Santa Barbara found that sponges carry the beginnings of a nervous system. If you were looking for the evolutionary origins of animal intelligence, you couldn’t really pick a less likely subject to study. They have no brains or, for that matter, any neurons, organs or even tissues. They are immobile, and live by filtering detritus from the water. Sponges are among the most primitive of all animals.
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