analyzed; they are composed of amorphous, non-crystalline silica, and contain in a central
axial canal the axial filament which consists of the enzyme silicatein. The axial filament, that
orients the spicule in its longitudinal axis exists also in the center of the spines which
decorate the spicule. During growth of the sponge, new serially arranged modules which are
formed from longitudinally arranged spicule bundles are added at the tip of the branches. X …