### Analyzing Symmetry and Fusion in Ctenophores: Findings from Coonfield and Jokura’s Studies
Ctenophores, often referred to as comb jellies, are intriguing marine life forms that have captured the interest of scientists for many years because of their distinctive anatomical characteristics and evolutionary importance. Among those who have enhanced our comprehension of these mysterious organisms are **Coonfield**, an academic at the Department of Biology at Brooklyn College, and **Jokura**, a researcher who built upon Coonfield’s findings. Their investigations have yielded significant revelations regarding the symmetry, regenerative capabilities, and fusion potential of ctenophores.
#### Coonfield’s Investigation into Ctenophore Symmetry
Coonfield’s inquiry concentrated on the anatomical symmetry of ctenophores, a subject that has fascinated biologists for a long time. Ctenophores are recognized for their radial symmetry, a symmetry type where body parts are organized around a central axis. Nevertheless, Coonfield suggested that these organisms might exhibit a **unique form of symmetry** that had not been completely comprehended before. His experiments sought to validate this theory by employing a technique adapted from botany: **grafting**.
Typically utilized in plants to unify two distinct species or plant parts into one, Coonfield modified this methodology to examine ctenophores by grafting two specimens together to determine whether their anatomical characteristics would match symmetrically. While Coonfield’s primary focus was on the symmetry of the specimens, he made an incidental observation that the ctenophores he grafted managed to survive the procedure. This observation would later become a central theme in Jokura’s subsequent research.
#### Jokura’s Examination of Ctenophore Fusion and Synchronization
Expanding upon Coonfield’s research, Jokura and his team delved deeper into the capacity of ctenophores to **fuse** and synchronize their physiological systems. Jokura’s experimentation aimed to investigate how two individual ctenophores could coalesce into a single entity and whether their internal systems, such as the nervous and muscular systems, would synchronize post-fusion.
In their investigation, Jokura’s team selected **ten pairs of healthy ctenophores** and meticulously severed them before bringing the individuals into close proximity. The ctenophores were restrained with a minute gap between them, which gradually diminished as the two specimens interacted. The initial phase of the fusion process involved the joining of their **membranes and epidermal layers**, establishing a protective barrier between the organism and its surroundings.
After the outer layers of the ctenophores had fused, the researchers made an astonishing observation: the **nervous systems** of the two individuals began to integrate as well. Electrical coupling occurred among the nerves, and the muscle contractions of the two ctenophores began to synchronize. Jokura mentioned that after thirty minutes, the muscle contractions were synchronized to **fifty percent**, and by two hours, the synchronization reached completion.
#### Difficulties with Digestive System Synchronization
While the nervous and muscular systems of the merged ctenophores synchronized effortlessly, Jokura’s team faced an intriguing challenge regarding the **digestive systems**. Unlike the nervous and muscular systems, the digestive functions of the two individuals continued to operate independently. Each ctenophore maintained its own metabolism, which determined when it needed to digest food and excrete waste. Consequently, the fused entity had two distinct mouths and two separate anuses, and the timing of waste expulsion (or “pooping”) was not coordinated between the two individuals.
Jokura humorously remarked that the “pooping schedule” relied on the individual, as each ctenophore’s metabolism functioned on its own timeline. This discovery indicates that while some systems in ctenophores can achieve synchronization following fusion, others, such as the digestive system, retain a level of autonomy.
#### Achievement and Survival of Fused Ctenophores
Out of the ten pairs of ctenophores that participated in Jokura’s team’s experiments, **nine pairs successfully fused** and endured the fusion process. The team meticulously documented the entire procedure through time-lapse photography, capturing one frame per second to create a detailed chronicle of the fusion. However, one pair did not survive, and Jokura speculated that this failure was likely attributed to a **malfunctioning regeneration system** in one or both of the specimens.
The capacity of ctenophores to regenerate and fuse is a remarkable aspect of their biology, and Jokura’s research has illuminated potential reasons why certain individuals may not survive this process. The successful fusion of nine out of ten pairs indicates that ctenophores possess a resilient regenerative system, though individual variations may influence the fusion outcome.
#### Significance for Future Research
The efforts of Coonfield and Jokura have paved the way for new lines of investigation into the biology of ctenophores. Coonfield
