Jellyfish, sea lice, sea
nettle, coral, sea anemone and other organisms, which
belong to the phylum cnidaria, are all equipped with stinging cells. These
stinging cells consist of a capsule, the nematocyst, containing a condensed
highly folded eversible tubule with potent toxins. The discharge of this tubule
is driven by the building up of a high internal hydrostatic pressure of 200
atmospheres. This pressure is about 100 times the pressure in a car tire and is
similar to the pressure that exists in scuba diving tanks.
When jellyfish come
into contact with their target the folded tubule is fired from the capsule at
accelerations of up to 40,000xg, similar to the acceleration of a shell being fired from a cannon.
The jellyfish toxins are delivered through the tubule into the
prey, resembling a multi-headed poisonous arrow.
This mechanism of the stinging cells is one of the fastest mechanical
events in nature.
Activation
and inhibition of the jellyfish stinging cells:
The jellyfish stinging cells are activated by several mechanical and chemical
events. The understanding of the biochemistry and cell biology of the stinging
organelles enabled Nidaria to develop both the concept and the technology
to inhibit the triggering pathway of the stinging cell. SafeSea™ was
scientifically designed to disarm jellyfish stinging cells and to protect the skin.
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