Functions of digestive diverticula in marine invertebrates. I. Ascidians fed with labelled glucose; its absorption and storage in the pyloric gland.

The movement of labelled glucose along the digestive tract of two ascidian species, Sidnyum argus and Dendrodoa grossularia is compared. In Dendrodoa grossularia, glucose absorption takes place in all parts of the digestive tract except the oesophagus. Labelled glucose passes through the digestive tract in less than 12 h, and it accumulates in the pyloric ampullae in less than 3 days. In this species, the pyloric gland has more capacity to stock glucidic compounds than other tissues. Under normal feeding conditions, after five days, there is no transfer of labelled glucose to other tissues. Whatever the substances given to Sidnyum argus, its pyloric gland never accumulated labelled products.