I found an article that was pretty interesting and was somewhat related to our class discussion on how changes during development can critically alter the maturation of an organism. While experimenting with snails it was found that exposure to high concentrations of bivalent platinum ions (from the noble metal platinum, which is released into the environment by abrasion from automobile catalytic converters) lead snail embryos to develop without a shell. The snails were exposed to the platinum during this critical period, when the toxin was removed they developed normally. It was found, however, that the exposed embryos did secrete a type of internal shell for protection. But looking at the photos that were in the article the location of the gills without any form of protection see a little odd. Perhaps I am just too accustomed to the sight of snails and slugs, but not "snugs" which these mutated creatures resemble.
ArticleI found it pretty strange yet interesting, how exposure to a toxin can alter some areas of development but leave the rest of the organism seemingly unscathed!
Normal snail embryo on left, and platinum exposed embryo on right.
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