Ciliary photoreceptors in sea urchin larvae indicate pan-deuterostome cell type conservation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The evolutionary history of cell types provides insights into how morphological and functional complexity arose during animal evolution. Photoreceptor cell types are particularly broadly distributed throughout Bilateria; however, their evolutionary relationship is so far unresolved. Previous studies indicate that ciliary photoreceptors are homologous at least within chordates, and here, we present evidence that a related form of this cell type is also present in echinoderm larvae.

Results

Larvae of the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus have photoreceptors that are positioned bilaterally in the oral/anterior apical neurogenic ectoderm. Here, we show that these photoreceptors express the transcription factor Rx, which is commonly expressed in ciliary p

SUBMITTER: Valencia JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8642985 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature