Pinacoderm
Appearance
The pinacoderm is the outermost layer of body cells (pinacocytes) of organisms of the phylum Porifera (sponges), equivalent to the epidermis in other animals.
Structure
[edit]The pinacoderm is composed of pinacocytes, flattened epithelial cells that can expand or contract to slightly alter the size and shape of the sponge.[1] It also contains porocytes, oval-shaped cells extending from the pinacoderm to the choanoderm (the body layer containing choanocytes).
References
[edit]- ^ Charles F. Lytle; John R. Meyer (2005). General Zoology Laboratory Guide (Fourteenth ed.).