Primary Assay — Starlet Sea Anemone
Phototaxis / Light Response
Nematostella vectensis
Nematostella exhibits light-responsive behavior despite lacking eyes. Light avoidance, response latency, and body contraction provide measures of sensory processing in a brainless organism.
Quantitative Output
Measured Parameters
Every parameter is automatically tracked frame-by-frame in the ConductVision pipeline for Nematostella vectensis.
| Parameter | Unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Light avoidance index | -1 to +1 | Direction relative to light |
| Response latency | s | Time to initiate movement |
| Body contraction with light | % shortening | Defensive photo-response |
References
Citations for Phototaxis / Light Response
- Layden MJ, et al. (2016). Nematostella vectensis achaete-scute homolog NvashA regulates neural cell fate specification. Dev Biol, 415(2), 230-241. PMID: 27173373
Compatible Equipment
Hardware for Starlet Sea Anemone Research
Nematostella Observation Chamber
Behavior recording
Light Stimulus Array
Phototaxis testing
Sand Substrate System
Burrowing behavior
Mechanosensory Stimulus Probe
Tentacle retraction
Feeding Stimulus Delivery
Glutathione-triggered feeding
Related Assays
Other Starlet Sea Anemone Primary Assays
08
Burrowing Into Substrate
Nematostella vectensis
Nematostella burrows into sandy substrate using peristaltic body movements. Burrowing latency, depth, duration, and subs…
08
Tentacle Retraction (Mechanosensory)
Nematostella vectensis
Tentacle retraction is a rapid defensive response that shows habituation — a fundamental form of learning in this brainl…
08
Feeding Response (Prey Capture)
Nematostella vectensis
Nematostella captures prey with nematocyst-bearing tentacles and opens its mouth in response to glutathione — a chemical…
Run Phototaxis / Light Response on ConductVision
Our team will configure the protocol, camera rig, and analysis pipeline for your starlet sea anemone facility.
