Collencytes and Lophocytes (Sponge Thread Makers)

Thread makers in the jelly

Sponges are animals that live in the water and don't move around. They stick to rocks and pump water through tiny holes in their bodies to catch food.

Inside a sponge is a soft, jelly-like middle layer. Two kinds of cells live in this jelly:

• Collencytes look like stars, with long thin arms reaching out in all directions.
• Lophocytes are big cells that crawl slowly through the jelly. They leave a trail of threads behind them, like a tail.

Making a stretchy net

Both cells make collagen. Collagen is a strong, stretchy material made into long threads.

The threads weave together into a net that holds the sponge's cells in place and helps the sponge keep its shape. Without it, a sponge would be a floppy pile of cells.

Sponge thread maker quiz