BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY
Telefax: (637) 2372350
Website: www.bpsu.edu.ph GRADUATE SCHOOL
Email:batpenstateuyahoo.com City of Balanga 2100, Bataan, Philippines
Written Report in GSE 417
Student : John Florentino E. Echon
Program : Master of Arts in Education
Major : General Science
Course : Biology II
Time : 11:30 – 3:00
Professor : LEANDRO T. OLUBIA, Ed. D.
Topic : Phylum Porifera
Competencies : Identify the general characteristics of organisms
belonging to Phylum Porifera
: Describe the body structure and canal system of
sponges
: Categorize sponges based on its classification
: Describe the life processes of sponges
: Appreciate the significant role of marine sponges
: Analyse Zoological Investigation about sponges
I. Introduction
Sponges are the simplest form of multi-cellular animals. A sponge is a
bottom-dwelling creature which attaches itself to something solid in a
place where it can find enough food to grow. The scientific name for
sponges is "Porifera," which translates into "pore-bearing."
Etymology: From the Latin porus for pore and Ferre to bear, hence an
animal with with pores.
II. Body of the Report
General Characteristics
A sponge is a simple organism that is easy to describe. A sponge is a
sedentary, filter-feeding metazoan which has a single layer of flagellated
cells that drive a unidirectional current of water through its body. Such
a brief description though does not do them justice. Sponges are an
ancient and highly successful group of animals. In the Palaeozoic they
are believed to have comprised more than half the biomass in marine
reefs. They have been living in the waters of the world for more than

600 million years, and can now be found in all marine and many
freshwater habitats. Some of the general characteristics of sponges are:
• Simplest of all animals
• Hermaphrodites
• Asymmetrical
• No systems for reproduction, digestion, respiration, sensory,
excretion
• Filter feeders
• No true tissues or body systems of any type
• Almost all species are sessile suspension feeders, larvae free-
swimming
• Multicellular
• Totipotent cells: like stem cells!
Body Structure:

1. Spicules are composed of calcium carbonate or silicon
dioxide. Often used in sponge ID
2. Amoebocytes (archaeocyte) amoeba-like cells. It store,
digest and transport food, excrete wastes, secrete skeleton give
rise to buds in asexual reproduction
sclerocytes - secrete spicules
spongocytes - secrete spongin
collencyotes - secrete collagen
3. Mesenchyme. Located beneath the pinacocytes - a gelatinous
protein layer it contains the skeletal material (ie. spongin and
spicules) and amoebocytes
4. Pinacocytes. It is the outer cells covering sponge; equivalent of
epiderm
5. Choanocytes- similar to choanoflagellates collared cells with
flagella - create water current and collect food matter
6. Porocytes. It form ostia. It is a cylindrical tube-like cells. A
contractile cell regulates the diameter of the ostia.
Three Canal System
There are three main types of canal system in sponges. The simplest
form is Asconoid, here the canals run straight through the sponge body
and all the choanocytes line the central large space called the
'spongocoel'. The water enters the ostia, is drawn through to the
spongocoel and leaves through a single large osculum. Asconoid
sponges have cylindrical hollow bodies and tend to grow in groups
attached to some object or other in relatively shallow seas.
Slightly more complicated are Syconoid sponges, externally they are
fairly similar to asconoid sponges except that their body wall is thicker.
The canals are branched however and do not allow the water to flow
straight through in to the spongocoel. Instead the water flows a twisted
route through a number of canals some of which are lined with
choanocytes before being expelled into the spongocoel and out through
the osculum. The spongocoel is not lined with choanocytes only the
canals. Syconoid sponges go through a asconoid stage in their
development suggesting that they evolved from some ancestral
asconoid. Syconoid sponges do not normally form groups as do asconoid
sponges.

Most modern sponge species are Leuconoid. In leuconoid sponges the
canal system is more complicated again with the canals being longer
and more branched, they lead to special chambers whose walls are lined
by choanocytes, there are no choanocytes in the canals. There is no real
spongocoel just a central exit canal leading to the osculum. Leuconoid
sponges tend to live in large groups with each individual sponge having
its own osculum, however the borders between individual sponges are
often hard to define and the sponge may act more like a large communal
organism.
Four General Types of Spicules
Spicules are non-living aggregates of a chemical nature,
secreted and made from either silica or calcium carbonate as
calcite or aragonite. These spicules are important in the
classification of sponges. The four main types are:
1. Monaxon- needle-like or rod-like; straight or curved
2. Tetraxon- has 4 prongs
3. Triaxon or Hexaxon- 3 or 6 rayed
4. Polyaxon- multiple short rods radiating from a common center;
burr shaped, star shaped or like a child's jack.
CLASSIFICATION OF PORIFERA
Porifera is divided into three classes based on the skeleton they
possess.
1. Calcarea (Calcispongiae) Skeleton consists mainly of calcareous
spicules
Examples: Leucetta, Sycon, Leucosolenia
2. Hexactinellida (Hyalospongiae). Skeleton consists mainly of siliceous
spicules
Examples: Euplectella, Hyalonema
3. Demospongiae. Skeleton consists mainly of spongin fibres which
may be in combination with spicules
Example: Spongilla

TYPICAL SPONGE FEEDING
Water flowing through sponges provides food and oxygen, as well as a
means for waste removal. This flow is actively generated by the beating
of flagella. The water movement through some sponges is aided by
ambient currents passing over raised excurrent openings. This moving
water creates an area of low pressure above the excurrent openings that
assists in drawing water out of the sponge. Sponges are capable of
regulating the amount of flow through their bodies by the constriction
of various openings. The volume of water passing through a sponge can
be enormous, up to 20,000 times its volume in a single 24 hour period.
In general, sponges feed by filtering bacteria from the water that passes
through them. Some sponges trap roughly 90 percent of all bacteria in
the water they filter.
THE CARNIVOROUS EXCEPTION
Sponges of the family Cladorhizidae are especially unusual in that they
typically feed by capturing and digesting whole animals. That's right,
these sponges are actually carnivorous! They capture small crustaceans
with their spicules which act like Velcro when they come in contact with
the crustacean exoskeletons. Cells then migrate around the helpless
prey and digestion takes place extracellularly.
EXCRETION
Excretory product, mainly ammonia, is released from the body through
outgoing water current.
REPRODUCTION
a. Sexual Reproduction
Most poriferans that reproduce by sexual means are
hermaphroditic and produce eggs and sperm at different times.
Sperm are frequently "broadcast" into the water column. That is,
sperm are created, concentrated and sent out the excurrent
openings, sometimes in masses so dense that the sponges
appear to be smoking. These sperm are subsequently captured
by female sponges of the same species. Inside the female, the
sperm are transported to eggs by special cells called
archaeocytes. Fertilization occurs in the mesenchyme and the
zygotes develop into ciliated larvae. Some sponges release their
larvae, where others retain them for some time. Once the larvae
are in the water column they settle and develop into juvenile
sponges.

b. Asexual Reproduction
Pieces of sponge are able to regenerate into whole new sponges.
Asexual reproduction occurs by budding or by fragmentation. The buds
may remain attached to the parent or separate from it, and each bud
develops into a new individual. Freshwater sponges, as well as several
marine species, form resistant structures called gemmules that can
withstand adverse conditions such as drying or cold and later develop
into new individuals. Gemmules are aggregates of sponge tissue and
food, covered by a hard coating containing spicules or spongin fibers.
MOVEMENT
Most species are sessile as adults. Cells frequently move and rearrange
themselves. Amoebocytes are highly mobile. One species, Tethya
seychellensis, Red Sea, has sticky, filamentous extensions. Filaments
contract and pull sponge along.
ECOLOGY AND IMPORTANCE
Class calcarea: Found primarily shallow water and tropical
Class hexatenilleda: Marine, primarily deep water
Importance:
Ideal habitats for marine animals such as snails, sea stars, sea
cucumbers, and shrimp. Mutually beneficial relationships with bacteria,
algae and plant-like protists many are green due to these organisms
living in their tissues.
Deep-water sponges provide important habitat to many species of fish
and invertebrates, mostly as a source of refuge from predation and
adverse conditions (e.g., strong currents) and as focal sites for foraging
on prey species that aggregate in sponge habitat. Others likely use
sponge habitat as breeding sites.
Sponges produce a wide variety of bioactive compounds which are
widely used in pharmaceuticals: antibiotics, asthma, arthritis,
anticancer drugs, chemicals that promote wound healing, anti-
inflammatories.
eg. antibiotics against bacteria such as E. coli and Staph aureus
eg. Acyclovir from Caribbean sponge which is the 1st antiviral compound
approved for human use fights herpes infections used since 1982

III. Review and Critiquing Zoological Investigations
Title: Marine sponge collagen: isolation, characterization and
effects on the skin parameters surface-pH, moisture and sebum
Dieter Swatscheka,b,c, Wolfgang Schattona, Josef Kellermannd,
Werner E.G. Mu¨llerb, Jo¨rg Kreuterc,*
INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEMS
Collagen is a fibrous protein found
ubiquitously in all multicellular
animals.Many pharmaceutical
applications are known for collagen,
e.g. shields, injectable dispersions,
sponges and microparticles.
Furthermore, collagen is used as a
moisturiser in cosmetic cream.
Moisturisers are employed for the
therapy of so-called ‘dry skin’. Lipids
work by the principle of occlusion,
whereas humectants, such as
collagen, attract water in the
stratum corneum. The use of cattle
as the main source for collagen has
to be reconsidered because of the
risks of BSE (bovine spongiform
encephalopathy) and TSE
(transmissible spongiform
encephalopathy). One alternative is
the use of porcine collagen or, much
safer, collagen from sea animals,
such as marine sponges. Is marine
sponge can be used as alternative
source of collagen?
METHODS
Isolation of marine sponge collagen
About 50 g of ethanol-conserved sponge material
were washed three times under running tap water,
cut into small pieces and homogenized using a
blender.
2.3. Characterization of sponge collage
2.3.1. Light microscopy
Aqueous dispersions of isolated material were
investigated by bright field microscopy
(Standardmikroskop CH, Olympus Optical Co.
GmbH, Hamburg, Germany) and by phase contrast
microscopy (AH3-RFCA, Olympus Optical Co. GmbH,
Hamburg, Germany).
2.3.2. Electron microscopy
Twenty microliter aliquots of aqueous collagen
dispersionsm were sampled for negative staining,
using the singledroplet procedure.
2.4.3. In-vivo measurements
Eleven female and six male volunteers from 24 to
52 years of age participated in the trials. Seventy-
five mg of each preparation were applied to a 25
cm2 area of the volar
forearm. The subjects were asked not to wash the
forearm or to apply cosmetics to the volar forearm
for a period of at least 12 h prior to the study.
Results
The results from the pH-measurements
show that no significant or adverse
changes were caused by any of these
formulations. Consequently, all
formulations are suitable for repeated
applications, as usually recommended for
the therapy of ‘dry skin’. Concerning skin-
hydration both sponge collagen
containing preparations as well as the
commercial collagen containing
preparation Shoynear Collactivew showed
a slight increase. The enhancement in
lipids indicated by the sebumeter
represents an advantage, since the ‘dry
skin’ not only lacks skin hydration but
also sufficient sebum
RECOMMENDATION
This study clearly demonstrates that
conventional collagen can be substituted
by marine collagen. In addition, the
currently available complicated isolation
procedure can be simplified according to
the method described in this publication

Title: Isolation, characterization and molecular weight determination
of collagen from marine sponge Spirastrella inconstans (Dendy)
Sudharsan1, P. Seedevi1, R. Saravanan2, P. Ramasamy1, S. Vasanth Kumar3, S. Vairamani1, A.
Srinivasan4 and A. Shanmugam1*
INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEMS
Collagen is a fibrous protein found
ubiquitously in all multicellular
animals. Collagen is extracted mainly
from the skin and bones of ruminant
and porcine livestock and poultry
(Vollmer and Rosenfield, 1983;
Pachence, 1992; Morimura et al.,
2002). However, foot-and-mouth
disease, bovine spongiform
encephalopathy and avian influenza
have broken out frequently in recent
years (Helcke, 2000; Trevitt and Singh,
2003) and hence the interest in safer
sources of collagen including marine
animals (fish, jellyfish, marine sponge
and squid) and those living in high and
cold regions without environmental
pollution has greatly increased.
Therefore, alternative sources of
collagen should be sought.
METHODS
Sample collection
The sponge S. inconstans was collected from
Devipattinam (Lat. 9° 28' 60’ N; Long. 78° 54' 0’ E.)
at 5-6 meter depth by SCUBA diving along the
Southeast coast of India.
Isolation of sponge collagen
Collagen was isolated by following the method of
Diehl-Seifer et al. (1985).
Purification of crude collagen
The collagen was purified with little modification of
the protocol followed by Saravanan et al. (2009)
through Sephadex G-50 column chromatography.
Characterization of sponge collagen
Total protein estimation and its homogeneity
The total protein concentration was estimated by
Lowry et al. (1951) method.
FT-IR spectrum analysis
FT-IR spectroscopy of freeze-dried sample of sponge
collagen was relied on a Bio-Rad FT-IR – 40, USA.
DSC measurement
The shrinkage temperature (Ts) of collagen sponge
matrix indicating the resistance against thermal
denaturation was determined by differential scanning
calorimetry (DSC 200 F3 NETZSC H).
Results
Total protein and collagen content
In S. inconstans, the total protein
content corresponds to 32% and the
yield of collagen was found to be
0.16%.The sponge collagen was
examined by SDS-PAGE, using a 12%
resolving gel and the molecular weight of
purified collagen from S. inconstans was
recorded as 58 kDa (Figure 1). In the
present study, the isolated crude
collagen showed three bands with 80, 60
and 59 kDa molecular weight; whereas
the purified collagen recorded only a
single band with 58 kDa molecular
weight in SDS-PAGE.
RECOMMENDATION
In the present study, the SEM images of
sponge collagen demonstrated that all
composites displayed an open and
interconnected pore structure and the
spicules appeared rod like structure. The
chemotactic properties of collagen have
many advantages in tissue engineering
scaffolds (Postlethwaite et al., 1978).
The sponge collgenous poriferan has
provided a natural environment for
cellular attachment and aggregation due
to their connective tissue; it should be
more complex organisms and it
analogous to collagen type XIII.
(no detailed recomemedation was
mentioned in the study)

IV. Synthesis
Sponges are the simplest form of multi-cellular animals. They are
hermaphroditic, multicellular filter feeders. They have asymmetrical
Body structure. It has three canal system which are the asconoid,
syconoid and leuconoid. The three distinct group are
the Hexactinellida (glass sponges), the Demospongia, and
the Calcarea (calcareous sponges). Sponges reproduce sexually and
asexually. In terms of their ecology, they are found in shallow water but
primarily in deep water. Sponges provide habitat for many marine
species. In terms of medical research, sponges provide a wide variety
of bioactive pharmaceutical compounds, hence one of the most
significant species in earth.
V. References
Sudharsan, S. et al (2013). Isolation, characterization and
molecular weight determination of collagen from
marine sponge Spirastrella inconstans (Dendy). African
Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(5), pp. 504-511, 30 January,
2013. Retrived: August 26, 2016
Swatschek, D. et al (2001). Marine sponge collagen:
isolation, characterization and effects on the skin
parameters surface-pH, moisture and sebum. European
Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics 53 (2002)
107–113. Retrieved: August 26, 2016

VI: TASK SHEET
1. What is the significance of sponges in the ocean as filter
feeders?
2. What are the three classes of the Phylum Porifera? How are
they classified?
3. How do choanocytes help sponges to survive?
4. Describe the three canal system of sponges using the figure
below.
5. How each canal system affects the feeding and nutrition of
sponges?