Different Types of Cryptobiosis – Imaluop

Now we are going to discuss very interesting behavioural changes in different organisms during adverse conditions, cryptobiosis and different types of cryptobiosis. 

What is Cryptobiosis: 

In adverse conditions the organisms stop most of the metabolic activities which are not necessarily for life like reproduction, repair and growth and they remain in inactive stage to overcome the extreme environmental conditions and come back to their normal stage when again favourable considerations come back. 

Different Types of Cryptobiosis: 

Anoxybiosis: 

Every living organism needs oxygen for respiration but when sufficient oxygen is not present in their surroundings then they become turgid by taking in water and enter into an inactive immobilized stage. 

Anhydrobiosis: 

Every living cell needs a sufficient amount of water to maintain their cellular activities and maintain the cellular structure but some organisms can tolerate high levels of water stress. Some lichens, algae, moss, cyanobacteria, yeast can leave without water for a long time and it Induced by desiccation. 

Chemobiosis: 

It is a type of cellular inactive stage due to the presence of harmful toxic chemicals in the medium, for example tardigrade show chemobiosis. 

Cryobiosis: 

The term cryo suggests that it is a stage of metabolic inactivity due to very low temperature in the surrounding environment because every organism can tolerate up to a lower level of temperature below this it becomes difficult for them to maintain their normal metabolic activities. It generally occurs in aquatic organisms when the water starts to freeze and the organism enters into metabolic inactive stage and it is known as cryobiosis. 

Osmobiosis: 

In living organisms the cell has specific concentration when the surrounding medium shows very high or very less concentration than the organism then it becomes difficult to maintain constant osmotic pressure inside the living cells. Osmobiosis is the power of some organisms to live in a very high concentration medium by entering into an inactive stage. 

Examples of Cryptobiosis: 

Cryptobiosis in Human: 

I know that you may be surprised to know that cryptobiosis in humans can give the best opportunity in medical sciences because some experiments on pigs indicate that we can replace the blood in a human by cold saline solution.

If cold saline solution replace the blood then the body temperature low down to around 10 degree centigrade and in this condition our brain need very less amount of oxygen and it reduce the chances of brain death so the doctor can get sufficient time during operate the injuries due to big accident and after they cure the patient easily the saline solution can be replaced by the blood and then the body again come back to its normal stage. 

Cryptobiosis in Brine Shrimp: 

Brine shrimp can easily pass through adverse conditions by entering a cyst form which helps them to tolerate very high temperature and very less temperature during unfavorable conditions. 

Cryptobiosis in Yeast: 

Yeast can tolerate extreme environmental conditions due to the presence of thick jacket-like covering around them made of dead cells. 

Cryptobiosis in Tardigrade: 

Tardigrades are microscopic aquatic animals who show cryptobiosis and can remain in inactive stage for a very long time, upto 10 years, due to this property they can easily tolerate very high or low temperature, dehydration, very high pressure and harmful radiation.

Sometimes the Tardigrade can live many many years in very extreme environmental conditions so it gives them the power to sustain those conditions and come back to normal conditions after a very long time. 

Cryptobiosis in Bacteria: 

Bacterial cells when exposed to harmful chemicals, harmful radiation, dehydration and very high or low temperature enter into a thick walled endospore stage which can tolerate different extreme conditions and is resistant to harmful toxins and radiation.  

Read More: Adaptation types and Examples