Cytochalasin B and taxol modulate cell surface ultrastructure in hydra

Direct physical contacts between neighbouring cells in embryos, tissues and organs are often governed by changes in the cell surface architecture. Cytoskeleton is one of the cell organelles that regulate cell surface architecture. We have studied the role of microfilaments and microtubules in maintenance of cell surface architecture in diploblastic hydra by using drugs that specifically interact with individual cytoskeletal components. Adult hydra were exposed to 10 μM concentration of either the microfilament-disrupting agent cytochalasin B or the microtubule-stabilizing drug taxol for 1 h and cell surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy. It was found that changes in microfilaments and microtubules alter the cell surface in hydra although the effects of the two are quite different. The present results suggest the possibility that functional interaction between cytoskeletal components and cell surface architecture evolved early in evolution.