Structural and molecular distinctions of primary and secondary spines in the sea urchin Lytechinus variegatus.

ABSTRACT: Sea urchins (echinoids) are common model organisms for research in developmental biology and for their unusual transition from a bilaterally organized larva into a post-metamorphic adult with pentaradial body symmetry. The adult also has a calcareous endoskeleton with a multimetameric pattern of continuously added elements, among them the namesake of this phylum, spines. Nearly all echinoids have both large primary spines, and an associated set of smaller secondary spines. We hypothesize that the secondary spines of the tropical variegated urchin species, Lytechinus variegatus, are morphologically and molecularly distinct structures from primary spines and not just small versions of the large spines. To test this premise, we examined both spine types using light microscopy, micro-CT imagin

SUBMITTER: Hebert E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11574069 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature