Question

An unusual red sponge is discovered near a deep-sea vent. You want to determine if this is a new species of sponge, so you separate the cells for further study. A new lab assistant accidentally adds cells from a blue sponge to your preparation while you are at lunch. When you return, you find that the sponge cells have reaggregated into a multicellular organism. What do you see if the red and blue sponges are the same species? A. one sponge with a red side and a blue side

B. one blue sponge and one red sponge
C. one sponge with blue and red randomly distributed
D. one purple sponge (mix of red and blue colors)
E. one sponge with alternating red and blue layers of cells

Answer 1

When red and blue sponge cells from the same species are mixed together and reaggregate, they will likely form one sponge with a random distribution of blue and red cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the red and blue sponges are the same species and their cells have been mixed together, what you would most likely see when they reaggregate into a multicellular organism is C. one sponge with blue and red cells randomly distributed.

In the case of sponges, which are part of the phylum Porifera, it's interesting to note that they can often reassemble into a coherent organism after their cells have been separated. This is due to their unique levels of organization in multicellular organisms. Sponges consist of specialized cell types such as digestive cells, tubular pore cells, and epidermal cells, which are not organized into true interconnected tissues. These cell types can reorganize and form a coherent sponge body, but they do not sort out based on colors or form layered structures. Therefore, if red and blue sponge cells belonged to the same species, their ability to aggregate together does not result in a neatly separated color pattern. Color is not a driving factor in reaggregation; functionality and cellular recognition are, meaning that cells will not separate out into color domains but rather mix based on compatibility and function.