We are currently investigating the nature of this intriguing axial structure!
🤝 Project with Teresa Madurell from @icmcsic.bsky.social
You can find the poster ➡️ zenodo.org/records/1579...

We also applied a collagen labeling protocol (Timin & Milinkovitch, 2023), which revealed the collagen distribution across the organism and confirmed that the axial cord is entirely surrounded by a collagenous sheath.

By improving light penetration, we visualized the very central axis of the organism, uncovering a hollow, cross-chambered central cord that had remained hidden due to autofluorescence. Morphologically, this midline structure shows a striking resemblance to notochords in chordate animals.

🔬 For the first time, we were able to image deep inside this species, from its outermost polyps to its internal axis, revealing fine details of its colonial organization and inner structures related to defense, transport, and support.