Lithium ions interfere with pattern control in Hydra vulgaris

Summary LiCl in concentrations exceeding 0.5 mM affects morphogenesis in Hydra vulgaris (formerly named H. attenuata) by interfering with the foot-forming system(s). Pulse treatment of Hydra bearing small buds or of animals that develop a bud within 14 h after the end of treatment prevented foot formation at the bud's base in a concentration-dependent manner. With increasing concentrations of Li⁺ or length of treatment in increasing percentage of the buds remained permanently connected to the parent by a bridge of tissue thus forming a stable secondary axis. Instead of the normal ring-shaped foot a patch of basal disc tissue developed or the bud failed to differentiate foot tissue at all. Long-term culture of animals in 1 mM LiCl inhibited budding from the second day of treatment onwards and detachment of existing buds was delayed. After 4 days of treatment 15%–30% of budless or bud-bearing animals developed up to three patch-like basal discs at various positions along the body axis; these usually grew out one above the other on the same side of the animal but never at the same transverse level. Besides these patch feet broad belts of foot tissue were observed in the lower gastric region. After 1 week of treatment half of the animals developed a constriction located usually in the lower two-thirds of the body axis. The tissue adjacent to this constriction and particularly above it differentiated into mucus-secreting foot tissue. Subsequent separation into two morphologically intact polyps occurred occasionally. When treatment was stopped, budding restarted within the next 3 days at several positions along the body axis whether or not secondary feet or a constriction existed. Buds grew out in different budding zones, which persisted for several days. This burst of budding led to up to 7 buds per animal within 3 days. After about 1 week the animals regulated to normality or became epithelial, i.e. they lost their stem cells during and after treatment.