HV Wilson worked with sponges to gain some insight into exactly what was responsible for holding adjacent cells together. He exposed two species of differently pigmented sponges to a chemical that disrupted intercellular junctions, and the cells of the sponges dissociated. Wilson then mixed the cells of the two species and removed the chemical that caused the cells to dissociate. Wilson found that the sponges reassembled into two separate species. The cells from one species did not interact or form associations with the cells of the other species.
How do you explain the results of Wilson's experiments?
A) The two species of sponge had different enzymes that functioned in the reassembly process.
B) The molecules responsible for cell-cell adhesion (cell junctions) were irreversibly destroyed during the experiment.
C) The molecules responsible for cell-cell adhesion (cell junctions) differed between the two species of sponge.
D) One cell functioned as an organiser for each organism, thereby attracting only cells of the same species.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Wilson's experiment suggests that the molecules responsible for cell-cell adhesion (cell junctions) differ between the two species of sponge. This is demonstrated by the fact that the cells from one species did not interact or form associations with the cells of the other species after the chemical disruption of intercellular junctions. If the molecules were the same between the two species, we would expect the cells to reassemble into a mixed population. Additionally, the fact that the reassembly occurred after the removal of the chemical disruption indicates that the molecules are not irreversibly destroyed, as in option B. The other options are not supported by the experiment.

HV Wilson Worked with Sponges to Gain Some Insight into Exactly