Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Cuticle

  • Chapter
Biology of the Integument

Abstract

The collagenous cuticle of annelids overlies the epidermis and, together with it, lines the gut, genital and excretory openings to various degrees, and also the chaetal follicles in polychaetes and oligochaetes. The cuticle is perforated by openings from the epidermal gland cells and by sense cells (see Chap. 17). The depth of the cuticle and the degree of its organization are, in general, proportional to body size, and may be related to differing locomotory patterns and environmental stresses (Richards 1978). This is particularly noticeable in tubicolous polychaetes which have comparatively thin cuticles. Westheide and Rieger (1978) explained the regional differences in cuticle depth and organization in hesionid polychaetes purely in functional terms, and Bubel (1983) has shown the cuticle of the exposed parts of Pomatoceros to be much thicker than that of the unexposed regions (Figs. 1-3). The annelid cuticle is unpigmented and the iridescence of many annelids is caused by interference effects. No evidence of quinone tanning has been found in the cuticle of Nereis (Manavalaramanujam and Sundara Rajulu 1974), but a tanning process was suspected in the serpulid operculum cuticle (Bubel 1973).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anton-Erxleben F (1981) Investigations on the cuticle of the polychaete elytra using energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Helgol Wiss Meeresunters 34:439–450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bairati A (1972) Collagen: an analysis of phylogenetic aspects. Boll Zool 39:205–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bairati A, Petruccioli MG, Torri Tarelli L (1972) Submicroscopic structure of collagen fibrils. III Periodic structure after fixation. J Submicrosc Cytol 4:171–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Boilly B (1968) Nature des formations tubulaires épicuticularies de Syllis arnica Q (Annelide Polychète) J Microsc 7:931–934

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown CH (1975) Annelida, Sipuncula and Echiura. In: Structural materials in animals, chap 11. Pitman, London, pp 197–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown SC, McGee-Russell S (1971) Chaetopterus tubes: ultrastructural architecture. Tissue Cell 3:65–70

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bubel A (1973) An electron-microscope investigation into the cuticle and associated tissue of the operculum of some marine serpulids. Mar Biol 23:147–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bubel A (1983) A transmission and scanning electron microscopy study of the cuticle and epidermis of Pomatoceros lamarkii (Polychaeta, Serpulidae). Trans Zool Soc London 36:217–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bubel A, Stephens RM, Fenn RH, Fieth P (1983) An electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and amino acid analysis study of the opercular filament cuticle, calcareous opercular plate and habitation tube of Pomatoceros lamarkii Quatrefages (Polychaetes: Serpulidae). Comp Biochem Physiol 74B: 837–850

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke JM (1974) Wound healing in Eisenia foetida (Oligochaeta). II A fine structural study of the role of the epidermis. Cell Tissue Res 154:61–82

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burke JM, Ross R (1975) A radiographic study of collagen synthesis by earthworm epidermis. Tissue Cell 7:631–650

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chien PK, Stephens GC, Healey PL (1972) The role of ultrastructure and physiological differentiation of epithelia in amino acid uptake of the bloodworm Glycera. Biol Bull 142:219–235

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Czechowicz K, Nowok L, Siekierska E (1980) Histochemical studies of selected enzymes in earthworms, frogs and domestic fowls from Katowice Ironworks region Poland. Pr Nauk Uniw Slask Katowicach 348:123–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Damas D (1969) Données histochimiques sur la cuticule de Glossiphonia complanata (L), Hiru-dinee, Rhynchobdelle. Arch Zool Exp Gen 110:417–433

    Google Scholar 

  • Djaczenko W, Cimmino CC (1973) Visualization of polysaccharides in the cuticle of Oligochaeta by the Tris 1-Aziridinyl phosphine oxide method: Demonstration of 62.5 Å and 185 Å periodicities in cuticular fibres. J Cell Biol 57:859–867

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eckelbarger KJ, Chia F-S (1978) Morphogenesis of larval cuticle in the polychaete Phragmato-poma lapidosa. Correlated scanning and transmission electron microscopic study from egg envelope formation to larval metamorphosis. Cell Tissue Res 186:187–201

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Finerty M (1981) The homology of collagens. J Theor Biol 93:279–302

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fleming TP, Richards KS (1982a) Localization of adsorbed heavy metals on the earthworm body surface and their retrieval by chelation. Pedobiologia 23:415–418

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fleming TP, Richards KS (1982b) Uptake and surface adsorption of zinc by the freshwater tubificid oligochaete Tubifex tubifex. Comp Biochem Physiol 71C: 69–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming TP, Pratten MK, Richards KS (1982) Subcellular localization of zinc by experimentally polluted Tubifex tubifex (Annelida, Oligochaeta). Comp Biochem Physiol 73C: 187–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giere O (1981) The gutless marine oligochaete Phallodrilus leukodermatus. Structural studies on an aberrant tubificid associated with bacteria. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 5:353–358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein A, Adams E (1970) Glycylhydroxyprolyl sequences in earthworm cuticle collagen. Glycylhydroxyprolyl serine. J Biol Chem 245:5487–5483

    Google Scholar 

  • Gross J (1963) Comparative biochemistry of collagen. In: Florkin M, Mason HS (eds) Comparative biochemistry, vol 5C. Academic Press, London New York, pp 307–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Hackman RH, Goldberg M (1971) Sclerotization of insect cuticle. J Insect Physiol 17:335–347

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hausmann K (1982) Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen an Anaitides mucosa (Annelida Polychaeta). Cuticula and Cilien, Schleimzellen und Schleimextrusion. Helgol Wiss Meeresunters 35:79–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holborow PL, Laverack MS, Barber VC (1969) Cilia and other surface structures of the trochophore of Harmothoe imbricata (Polychaeta). Z Zellforsch Mikrosc Anat 98:246–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Humphreys S, Porter KR (1976) Collagen deposition on a preformed grid. J Morphol 149:53–71

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ireland MP, Richards KS (1977) The occurrence and localisation of heavy metals and glycogen in the earthworms Lumbricus rubellus and Dendrobaena rubida from a heavy metal site. Histochemistry 51:153–166

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jamieson BGM (1981) The ultrastructure of the Oligochaeta. Academic Press, London New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Josse J, Harrington W (1964) Role of pyrrolidine residues in the structure and stabilization of collagen. J Mol Biol 9:269–287

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jouin C (1978) Anatomical and ultrastructural study of the pharyngeal bulb in Protodrilus (Polychaeta Archiannelida) II: The stomodeal epithelium and its cuticle. Tissue Cell 10:289–302

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jouin C (1979) Description of a free-living polychaete without gut: Astomus taenioides n gen, n sp (Protodrilidae Archiannelida). Can J Zool 57:2448–2456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kryvi H (1972) The ultra-structure of the cuticle of Sabella penicillum (Polychaeta). Norw J Zool 20:97–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Lillie JH, MacCallum DK, Scaletta LJ, Occhino JC (1977) Collagen structure: evidence for a helical organization of the collagen fibril. J Ultrastruct Res 58:134–143

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Manavalaramanujam R, Sundara Rajulu G (1974) An investigation on the chemical nature of the cuticle of a polychaete Nereis diversicolor (Annelida). Acta Histochem 48:69–81

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maser MD, Rice RV (1962) Biophysical and biochemical properties of earthworm-cuticle collagen. Biochim Biophys Acta 63:255–265

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maser MD, Rice RV (1963) Soluble earthworm cuticle collagen: a possible dimer of tropocolla-gen. J Cell Biol 18:569–577

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Muir L, Lee Y (169) Structure of the D-galactose oligosaccharides from earthworm cuticle collagen. J Biol Chem 224:2343–2349

    Google Scholar 

  • Muir L, Lee Y (1970) Glycopeptides from earthworm cuticle collagen. J Biol Chem 245:502–509

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Murray LW, Tänzer ML, Cooke P (1981) Nereis cuticle collagen: Relationship of fiber ultra-structure to biochemical and biophysical properties. J Ultrastruct Res 76:27–45

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Potswald HE (1971) A fine structural analysis of the epidermis and cuticle of the oligochaete Aeolosoma bengalense Stephenson. J Morphol 135:185–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards KS (1974) The ultrastructure of the cuticle of some British lumbricids (Annelida). J Zool (London) 172:303–316

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards KS (1975) The histochemistry of the cuticle of some lumbricids (Annelida: Oligochaeta). Ann Histochim 20:133–143

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richards KS (1977) Structure and function in the oligochaete epidermis (Annelida). Symp Zool Soc (London) 39:171–193

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richards KS (1978) Epidermis and cuticle. In: Mill PJ (ed) Physiology of annelids, Chap. 2. Academic Press, London, New York, pp 33–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards KS (1980) The ultrastructural localisation of membrane-associated phosphatases in the integument of the earthworm Eisenia foetida. Histochemistry 68:91–94

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richards KS, Arme C (1982) Integumentary uptake of dissolved organic materials by earthworms. Pedobiologia 23:358–366

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richards KS, Ireland MP (1978) Glycogen-lead relationship in the earthworm Dendrobaena rubida from a heavy metal site. Histochemistry 56:55–64

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Richards KS, Fleming TP, Jamieson BGM (1982) An ultrastructural study of the distal epidermis and the occurrence of subcuticular bacteria in the gutless tubificid Phallodrilus albidus (Oligochaeta, Annelida). Aust J Zool 30:327–336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rieger RM, Rieger GE (1976) Fine structure of the archiannelid cuticle and remarks on the evolution of the cuticle within the Spiralia. Acta Zool (Stockholm) 57:53–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby BJ (1971) The thermal stability of collagen: its significance in biology and physiology. Adv Chem Phys 21:537–555

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby BJ, Robinson MS (1975) Thermal transitions in collagen and the preferred temperature range of animals. Nature 253:277–279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rudall KM (1950) Fundamental structures in biological systems. Prog Biophys 1:39–72

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rudall KM (1955) The distribution of collagen and chitin in fibrous protein. Symp Soc Exp Biol 9:49–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Rudall KM (1968) Comparative biology and biochemistry of collagen. In: Gould BS (ed) Treatise on collagen, vol 2. Academic Press, London New York, pp 83–137

    Google Scholar 

  • Saito T, Iso N, Mizuno H, Onda N, Yamato H, Odashima H (1982) Semiflexibility of collagens in solution. Biopolymers 21:715–728

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schulte E, Riehl R (1976) Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen an den Tentakeln von Lanice conchilega (Polychaeta, Sedentaria). Helgol Wiss Meeresunters 28:191–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singleton L (1957) The chemical structure of earthworm cuticle. Biochim Biophys Acta 24:67–72

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Southward E (1982) Bacterial symbionts in Pogonophora. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 62:889–906

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spiro RG, Bhoyroo VD (1980) Studies on the carbohydrate of collagens. Characterization of a glucuronic-acid mannose disaccharide unit from Nereis virens cuticle collagen. J Biol Chem 255:5347–5354

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Storch V, Welsch U (1970) Über die Feinstruktur der Polychaeten-Epidermis (Annelida). Z Morphol Oekol Tiere 66:310–322

    Google Scholar 

  • Vitellaro L, Rigamonti L (1979) Enzyme action on viscosity and reprecipitation of soluble collagen from Lumbricus sp. cuticle. In: Atti Soc Ital Anat, Trieste 1977. Grafica Toscana, Firenze

    Google Scholar 

  • Watson MR (1958) The chemical composition of earthworm cuticle. Biochem J 68:416–420

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Westheide W, Rieger RM (1978) Cuticle ultrastructure of hesionid polychaetes (Annelida). Zoomorphology 91:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zuccarello LV (1979) Fine structure of isolated fibrils from the cuticle of Lumbricus sp. Cell Tissue Res 201:459–466

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, England

    K. Sylvia Richards

Authors
  1. K. Sylvia Richards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Kinematische Zellforschung, Postfach 111932, D-6000, Frankfurt a.M., Germany

    Jürgen Bereiter-Hahn

  2. Department of Dermatology, Boston University School of Medicine, 80 East Concord Street, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    A. Gedeon Matoltsy

  3. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire ST5, 5BG/GB, UK

    K. Sylvia Richards

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1984 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Richards, K.S. (1984). Cuticle. In: Bereiter-Hahn, J., Matoltsy, A.G., Richards, K.S. (eds) Biology of the Integument. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-51593-4_19

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-51593-4_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-51595-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-51593-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics