Cell contact and positional communication in hydra.
Positional communication and the functional coupling of muscular reflexes were examined in grafted hydra. A head and distal gastric region inhibited head regeneration by a host sub-hypostome within 4--5 h of grafting. Functionally coupled pathways which indicated the presence of gap junctions also formed between graft and host during this time. It is suggested that gap junctions provide a channel for positional communication.
D000818:Animals; D006829:Hydra / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D012018:Reflex; D012038:Regeneration