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Perricone V, Grun TB, Marmo F, Langella C, Candia Carnevali MD. Constructional design of echinoid endoskeleton: main structural components and their potential for biomimetic applications. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2020; 16:011001. [PMID: 32927446 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/abb86b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The endoskeleton of echinoderms (Deuterostomia: Echinodermata) is of mesodermal origin and consists of cells, organic components, as well as an inorganic mineral matrix. The echinoderm skeleton forms a complex lattice-system, which represents a model structure for naturally inspired engineering in terms of construction, mechanical behaviour and functional design. The sea urchin (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) endoskeleton consists of three main structural components: test, dental apparatus and accessory appendages. Although, all parts of the echinoid skeleton consist of the same basic material, their microstructure displays a great potential in meeting several mechanical needs according to a direct and clear structure-function relationship. This versatility has allowed the echinoid skeleton to adapt to different activities such as structural support, defence, feeding, burrowing and cleaning. Although, constrained by energy and resource efficiency, many of the structures found in the echinoid skeleton are optimized in terms of functional performances. Therefore, these structures can be used as role models for bio-inspired solutions in various industrial sectors such as building constructions, robotics, biomedical and material engineering. The present review provides an overview of previous mechanical and biomimetic research on the echinoid endoskeleton, describing the current state of knowledge and providing a reference for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Perricone
- Dept. of Engineering, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa, Italy
| | - Tobias B Grun
- Dept. of Invertebrate Paleontology, University of Florida, Florida Museum, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Francesco Marmo
- Dept. of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Carla Langella
- Dept. of Architecture and Industrial Design, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa, Italy
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Kołbuk D, Di Giglio S, M'Zoudi S, Dubois P, Stolarski J, Gorzelak P. Effects of seawater Mg 2+ /Ca 2+ ratio and diet on the biomineralization and growth of sea urchins and the relevance of fossil echinoderms to paleoenvironmental reconstructions. GEOBIOLOGY 2020; 18:710-724. [PMID: 32772500 DOI: 10.1111/gbi.12409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
It has been argued that skeletal Mg/Ca ratio in echinoderms is mostly governed by Mg2+ and Ca2+ concentrations in the ambient seawater. Accordingly, well-preserved fossil echinoderms were used to reconstruct Phanerozoic seawater Mg2+ /Ca2+ ratio. However, Mg/Ca ratio in echinoderm skeleton can be affected by a number of environmental and physiological factors, the effects of which are still poorly understood. Notably, experimental data supporting the applicability of echinoderms in paleoenvironmental reconstructions remain limited. Here, we investigated the effect of ambient Mg2+ /Ca2+ seawater ratio and diet on skeletal Mg/Ca ratio and growth rate in two echinoid species (Psammechinus miliaris and Prionocidaris baculosa). Sea urchins were tagged with manganese and then cultured in different Mg2+ /Ca2+ conditions to simulate fluctuations in the Mg2+ /Ca2+ seawater ratios in the Phanerozoic. Simultaneously, they were fed on a diet containing different amounts of magnesium. Our results show that the skeletal Mg/Ca ratio in both species varied not only between ossicle types but also between different types of stereom within a single ossicle. Importantly, the skeletal Mg/Ca ratio in both species decreased proportionally with decreasing seawater Mg2+ /Ca2+ ratio. However, sea urchins feeding on Mg-enriched diet produced a skeleton with a higher Mg/Ca ratio. We also found that although incubation in lower ambient Mg2+ /Ca2+ ratio did not affect echinoid respiration rates, it led to a decrease or inhibition of their growth. Overall, these results demonstrate that although skeletal Mg/Ca ratios in echinoderms can be largely determined by seawater chemistry, the type of diet may also influence skeletal geochemistry, which imposes constraints on the application of fossil echinoderms as a reliable proxy. The accuracy of paleoseawater Mg2+ /Ca2+ calculations is further limited by the fact that Mg partition coefficients vary significantly at different scales (between species, specimens feeding on different types of food, different ossicle types, and stereom types within a single ossicle).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Kołbuk
- Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sarah Di Giglio
- Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Saloua M'Zoudi
- Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Philippe Dubois
- Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
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Shashikant T, Khor JM, Ettensohn CA. From genome to anatomy: The architecture and evolution of the skeletogenic gene regulatory network of sea urchins and other echinoderms. Genesis 2018; 56:e23253. [PMID: 30264451 PMCID: PMC6294693 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The skeletogenic gene regulatory network (GRN) of sea urchins and other echinoderms is one of the most intensively studied transcriptional networks in any developing organism. As such, it serves as a preeminent model of GRN architecture and evolution. This review summarizes our current understanding of this developmental network. We describe in detail the most comprehensive model of the skeletogenic GRN, one developed for the euechinoid sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, including its initial deployment by maternal inputs, its elaboration and stabilization through regulatory gene interactions, and its control of downstream effector genes that directly drive skeletal morphogenesis. We highlight recent comparative studies that have leveraged the euechinoid GRN model to examine the evolution of skeletogenic programs in diverse echinoderms, studies that have revealed both conserved and divergent features of skeletogenesis within the phylum. Last, we summarize the major insights that have emerged from analysis of the structure and evolution of the echinoderm skeletogenic GRN and identify key, unresolved questions as a guide for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanvi Shashikant
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jian Ming Khor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Charles A Ettensohn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Stock S, Seto J, Deymier A, Rack A, Veis A. Growth of second stage mineral in Lytechinus variegatus. Connect Tissue Res 2018; 59:345-355. [PMID: 29083939 PMCID: PMC6252257 DOI: 10.1080/03008207.2017.1391233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Purpose and Aims: Sea urchin teeth consist of calcite and form in two stages with different magnesium contents. The first stage structures of independently formed plates and needle-prisms define the shape of the tooth, and the columns of the second stage mineral cements the first stage structures together and control the fracture behavior of the mature tooth. This study investigates the nucleation and growth of the second stage mineral. MATERIALS AND METHODS Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and synchrotron microComputed Tomography characterized the structures of the second phase material found in developing of Lytechinus variegatus teeth. RESULTS Although the column development is a continuous process, defining four phases of column formation captures the changes that occur in teeth of L. variegatus. The earliest phase consists of small 1-2 µm diameter hemispheres, and the second of 5-10 µm diameter, mound-like structures with a nodular surface, develops from the hemispheres. The mounds eventually bridge the syncytium between adjacent plates and form hyperboloid structures (phase three) that appear like mesas when plates separate during the fracture. The mesa diameter increases with time until the column diameter is significantly larger than its height, defining the fourth phase of column development. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirms that the columns contain more magnesium than the underlying plates; the ratios of magnesium to calcium are consistent with compositions derived from x-ray diffraction. CONCLUSION Columns grow from both bounding plates. The presence of first phase columns interspersed among third stage mesas indicates very localized control of mineralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- S.R. Stock
- Dept. of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA,Corresponding author: Mail address: as above 303 E. Chicago Ave., 60611-3008,
| | - Jong Seto
- Dept. of Biomaterials, Max Planck Inst. for Colloids and Interfaces, Potsdam, Germany,presently at: Dept. of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - A.C. Deymier
- Dept. of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA,presently at: Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - A. Rack
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France
| | - A. Veis
- Dept. of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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Russell MP, Gibbs VK, Duwan E. Bioerosion by pit-forming, temperate-reef sea urchins: History, rates and broader implications. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191278. [PMID: 29466357 PMCID: PMC5821313 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea urchins are dominant members of rocky temperate reefs around the world. They often occur in cavities within the rock, and fit so tightly, it is natural to assume they sculpted these "pits." However, there are no experimental data demonstrating they bore pits. If they do, what are the rates and consequences of bioerosion to nearshore systems? We sampled purple sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, from sites with four rock types, three sedimentary (two sandstones and one mudstone) and one metamorphic (granite). A year-long experiment showed urchins excavated depressions on sedimentary rocks in just months. The rate of pit formation varied with rock type and ranged from <5 yr for medium-grain sandstone to >100 yr for granite. In the field, there were differences in pit size and shapes of the urchins (height:diameter ratio). The pits were shallow and urchins flatter at the granite site, and the pits were deeper and urchins taller at the sedimentary sites. Although overall pit sizes were larger on mudstone than on sandstone, urchin size accounted for this difference. A second, short-term experiment, showed the primary mechanism for bioerosion was ingestion of the substratum. This experiment eliminated potential confounding factors of the year-long experiment and yielded higher bioerosion rates. Given the high densities of urchins, large amounts of rock can be converted to sediment over short time periods. Urchins on sandstone can excavate as much as 11.4 kg m-2 yr-1. On a broader geographic scale, sediment production can exceed 100 t ha-1 yr-1, and across their range, their combined bioerosion is comparable to the sediment load of many rivers. The phase shift between urchin barrens and kelp bed habitats in the North Pacific is controlled by the trophic cascade of sea otters. By limiting urchin populations, these apex predators also may indirectly control a substantial component of coastal rates of bioerosion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P. Russell
- Biology Department, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Victoria K. Gibbs
- Biology Department, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Emily Duwan
- Biology Department, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Gorzelak P, Dery A, Dubois P, Stolarski J. Sea urchin growth dynamics at microstructural length scale revealed by Mn-labeling and cathodoluminescence imaging. Front Zool 2017; 14:42. [PMID: 28855950 PMCID: PMC5574115 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-017-0227-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fluorochrome staining is among the most widely used techniques to study growth dynamics of echinoderms. However, it fails to detect fine-scale increments because produced marks are commonly diffusely distributed within the skeleton. In this paper we investigated the potential of trace element (manganese) labeling and subsequent cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging in fine-scale growth studies of echinoderms. Results Three species of sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus, Echinometra sp. and Prionocidaris baculosa) were incubated for different periods of time in seawater enriched in different Mn2+ concentrations (1 mg/L; 3 mg/L; 61.6 mg/L). Labeling with low Mn2+ concentrations (at 1 mg/L and 3 mg/L) had no effect on behavior, growth and survival of sea urchins in contrast to the high Mn2+ dosage (at 61.6 mg/L) that resulted in lack of skeleton growth. Under CL, manganese produced clearly visible luminescent growth fronts in these specimens (observed in sectioned skeletal parts), which allowed for a determination of the average extension rates and provided direct insights into the morphogenesis of different types of ossicles. The three species tend to follow the same patterns of growth. Spine growth starts with the formation of microspines which are simultaneously becoming reinforced by addition of thickening layers. Spine septa develop via deposition of porous stereom that is rapidly (within less than 2 days) filled by secondary calcite. Development of the inner cortex in cidaroids begins with the formation of microspines which grow at ~3.5 μm/day. Later on, deposition of the outer polycrystalline cortex with spinules and protuberances proceeds at ~12 μm/day. The growth of tooth can be rapid (up to ~1.8 mm/day) and starts with the formation of primary plates (pp) in plumula. Later on, during the further growth of pp in aboral and lateral directions, secondary extensions develop inside (in chronological order: lamellae, needles, secondary plate, prisms and carinar processes), which are increasingly being solidified towards the incisal end. Interradial growth in the ambital interambulacral test plates exceeds meridional growth and inner thickening. Conclusions Mn2+ labeling coupled with CL imaging is a promising, low-cost and easily applicable method to study growth dynamics of echinoderms at the micro-length scale. The method allowed us to evaluate and refine models of echinoid skeleton morphogenesis.
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Mao Y, Satchell PG, Luan X, Diekwisch TGH. SM50 repeat-polypeptides self-assemble into discrete matrix subunits and promote appositional calcium carbonate crystal growth during sea urchin tooth biomineralization. Ann Anat 2015; 203:38-46. [PMID: 26194158 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2015.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 06/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The two major proteins involved in vertebrate enamel formation and echinoderm sea urchin tooth biomineralization, amelogenin and SM50, are both characterized by elongated polyproline repeat domains in the center of the macromolecule. To determine the role of polyproline repeat polypeptides in basal deuterostome biomineralization, we have mapped the localization of SM50 as it relates to crystal growth, conducted self-assembly studies of SM50 repeat polypeptides, and examined their effect on calcium carbonate and apatite crystal growth. Electron micrographs of the growth zone of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sea urchin teeth documented a series of successive events from intravesicular mineral nucleation to mineral deposition at the interface between tooth surface and odontoblast syncytium. Using immunohistochemistry, SM50 was detected within the cytoplasm of cells associated with the developing tooth mineral, at the mineral secreting front, and adjacent to initial mineral deposits, but not in muscles and ligaments. Polypeptides derived from the SM50 polyproline alternating hexa- and hepta-peptide repeat region (SM50P6P7) formed highly discrete, donut-shaped self-assembly patterns. In calcium carbonate crystal growth studies, SM50P6P7 repeat peptides triggered the growth of expansive networks of fused calcium carbonate crystals while in apatite growth studies, SM50P6P7 peptides facilitated the growth of needle-shaped and parallel arranged crystals resembling those found in developing vertebrate enamel. In comparison, SM50P6P7 surpassed the PXX24 polypeptide repeat region derived from the vertebrate enamel protein amelogenin in its ability to promote crystal nucleation and appositional crystal growth. Together, these studies establish the SM50P6P7 polyproline repeat region as a potent regulator in the protein-guided appositional crystal growth that occurs during continuous tooth mineralization and eruption. In addition, our studies highlight the role of species-specific polyproline repeat motifs in the formation of discrete self-assembled matrices and the resulting control of mineral growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelin Mao
- UIC College of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, USA
| | | | - Xianghong Luan
- UIC College of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, USA; UIC College of Dentistry, Department of Oral Biology, USA
| | - Thomas G H Diekwisch
- UIC College of Dentistry, Department of Oral Biology, USA; Baylor College of Dentistry, Department of Periodontics, USA.
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