Microarchitecture and mechanics of the sea-urchin peristomial membrane

The peristomial membrane is an area of flexible body wall which connects the test to the lantern or masticatory apparatus of regular sea-urchins. The peristomial membrane of Paracentrotus lividus was examined by various light microscopical techniques and by scanning and transmission electron microsc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bollettino di zoologia 1994-01, Vol.61 (1), p.39-51
Main Authors: Wilkie, Iain C., Carnevali, M.Daniela Candia, Andrietti, Francesco
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Collagenous Tissue
Echinodermata
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Invertebrates
Marine
Mechanical Properties
Microarchitecture
Paracentrotus lividus
Peristomial Membrane
Sea-Urchin
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Summary:The peristomial membrane is an area of flexible body wall which connects the test to the lantern or masticatory apparatus of regular sea-urchins. The peristomial membrane of Paracentrotus lividus was examined by various light microscopical techniques and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and its mechanical properties were investigated by load-deformation tests. Attention was focused on the collagenous dermis which consists mainly of crossed-fibre arrays arranged in three histologically distinct sublayers. This microarchitectural arrangement gives rise to nonlinear load-deformation characteristics: when subjected to vertical deformation such as would occur during lantern protraction, the peristomial membrane shows firstly low stiffness and then high stiffness phases. The response of the peristomial membrane to chemical agents suggests that the tensile properties of the dermis are under physiological control. Our results indicate that the collagenous fibres of the dermis belong to separate populations whose stiffness can be adjusted differentially to meet changing functional demands on the peristomial membrane.
ISSN:0373-4137
DOI:10.1080/11250009409355857