Figure 1.
Transient reduction of Symbiodinium density following bleaching.
H&E stained transversal sections of tentacles illustrating Symbiodinium (arrows) density in the gastrodermis of anemones before the bleaching procedure (a) and after 1 week (b) and 8 weeks (c) of recovery. After 8 weeks the gastrodermis has regained its normal appearance.
Figure 2.
Loss of Symbiodinium following photic/thermic stress.
Symbiodinium density (mean ± S.E.M.) was lower in stressed anemones than in controls 24h hours and 3 weeks after the stress. No difference between groups was detected eight weeks after stress. Asterisks represent values significantly different than controls (Student t test; p<0.05).
Figure 3.
Transversal section of a tentacle showing histological labeling of EdU+ nuclei (green) and mucocytes (arrow) stained with WGA (red). DAPI staining (blue) was used to visualize nuclei. E, endodermis; G, gastrodermis.
Figure 4.
Increase of cell proliferation after bleaching.
Cell proliferation (mean ± S.E.M.; EdU+ cell density in treated anemones divided by EdU+ cell density in controls) in the gastrodermis (a) and ectodermis (b) shows a rapid and transient increase following the bleaching procedure (N = 10–17/time point). Asterisk represents values significantly different than pre-stress values following ANOVA and Dunnett’s post hoc test (p<0.001).
Figure 5.
Increase of mucocyte density after bleaching.
Mucocyte density (mean ± S.E.M.) in the ectodermis shows a delayed and transient increase following the bleaching procedure (N = 10–17/time point). Asterisk represents values significantly different than pre-stress values following ANOVA and Dunnett’s post hoc test (p<0.0001).