title: Crystalline nanorods as possible templates for the synthesis of amorphous biosilica during spicule formation in Demospongiae.
abstract: High-resolution microscopy shows that, during the initial stages of demosponge spicule formation, a primordial crystalline structure is formed within the axial filament. The recently developed electron diffraction tomography technique reveals that the nanorods have a layered structure that matches smectitic phyllosilicates. These intracellular nanorods have been considered as precursors of mature spicules.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Welderweg 11, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mugnaioli
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Natalio
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schlossmacher
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Werner E G
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kolb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004583:Electrons; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D043942:Nanotubes; D011161:Porifera / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D012822:Silicon Dioxide