The 'Pearl' in oysters is formed by the deposition of nacreous layers around a foreign particle. Which part of the mollusc secretes these layers?
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Correct answer: The mantle epithelium
When a foreign particle lodges between the shell and the mantle, the mantle epithelial cells respond by secreting concentric layers of nacre (aragonite crystals bound by conchiolin) around the irritant. Over time, these layers accumulate to form a pearl.
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