• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2010

Discharged materials from the point or non-point source are released into the sea, and as the results, marine environment is directly affected. We must estimate the impacts of contaminants to marine pollution rapidly and accurately. Therefore, it is needed on early warning system for appreciating marine environmental impacts, and required a bioassay to evaluate abnormal changes. A bioassay test was developed to examine the effects of heavy metal contaminants on the early life stages of the marine annimals. We have studied the effects of metals on early development of a sea urchin species, Strongylocentrotus intermedius. S. intermedius embryos were tested with six metals (Cu, Ag, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni) and showed the highest sensitivity to Cu as well as the lowest sensitivity to Cd. The order of biological impact for metals was Cu>Ag>Ni>Zn>Cr>Cd. In accordance with the results, sea urchins embryos can provide biological criteria for seawater quality assessment. The sensitivity of developmental bioassay whith S. intermedius is at intermediate level among marine organisms commonly used in aquatic bioassays. And this sea urchin can be routinely employed as a test organism for ecotoxicity assays.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.121-133
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• 1988

Strongylocentrotus pulcherrimus is one of the very important fishery stock in this country since its high demand for raw gonad. Although the demand has been continuously increasing, the natural stock of this species seems to be decreasing. Since fresh macroalgae are not always available, the substitution of terrestrial vegetables for algae as a principal food was examined for the intensive indoor culture of the sea urchin. The results from the studies on selective and non-selective feeding habits and nutritional efficiencies using 13 food stuffs (6 macroalgae, 5 vegetables and 2 animal products) indicate that algae can be substituted with vegetables in sea urchin culture. Although the growth of body weight was the highest when sea urchins were fed Undaria Pinnatifida, the gonad index of the sea urchins fed on spinach, radish leaf and lettuce was higher than that of this brown alga. Considering the different food efficiencies of body and gonad growth, spinach and radish leaf will be adequate during gonad growth season, while lettuce and Chinese cabbage will be suitable for test growth season. In particular, radish leaf, which is usually not eaten by humans, could be highly beneficial and very economical in the sea urchin culture.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.954-959
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• 2020

This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of rescue apparatus, that can capture crabs using external stimuli such as food and electricity, without relying on divers. In this study, a microcomputer-based controller and an IC-device-based controller were developed, and spot inspection was conducted using 20 modules and 30 sea urchin removal modules. Accordingly, 58, 18, 17, and 74 sea urchins were introduced in the first, second, third and fourth experiments, respectively. The result of evaluating the lure of each removal mechanism, based on the catch per unit effort, with an electrical stimulus was 1.1 (32/10), with a feeding stimulus was 3.4 (100/29), and with electrical and feeding stimuli was 3.5 (35/10).

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.312-315
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• 2013

Sea urchins were collected from waters adjacent to Daludo Island and Mohang harbor in the Yellow Sea, and were identified into Glyptocidaris crenularis A. Agassiz, 1864, of the family Stomopneustidae within the order Stomopneustoida, based on morphological characteristics. This species has two unique morphological characteristics: the ambulacral plate is composed of three primary plates and two demi-plates, and a valve of globiferous pedicellaria consists of with a well-developed long terminal hook and a unique stalk equipped with one to six long lateral processes covering membranes, resembling fins. It is newly recorded in Korea and is described with photographs. This brings the total number of sea urchins reported from the Yellow Sea, Korea, to seven.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.129-134
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• 2003

Spawning induction and early growth of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus intermedius were studied with the purpose of artificial seedling production. Gonadosomatic index(GSI) of the sea urchin showed the highest value in October, and rapidly decreased in December. It means that October and November is the peak of spawning season of the sea urchin in the latitude. Spawning induction by injection of potassium chloride solution in October has showed 44.0~100.0% reaction rate, and were produced 6,300$\times$10$^4$ eggs. Spawned eggs have shown the fertilization rate of 92.3~98.2% and the hatching rate of 78.2~87.0%. The metamorphosis of larvae after hatching in the seawater temperature of 13.7~17.1$^{\circ}C$ resulted in early eight-armed larvae in 13 days and late eight-armed larvae in 20 days. The collection of progenies was possible in 24~25 days after hatching and collection rate was 18.5~26.1% (mean 22.3%). Test diameter immediately after collection had a mean 350 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. Survival rate and test diameter of juvenile sea urchin after collection were 58.5%, 1.32 mm in 30 days, 27.7%, 3.82 mm in 92 days and 15.6%, 11.70 mm in 181 days, respectively.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nano-sized lipid bilayer vesicles released by cells. EVs act as messengers for cell-to-cell communication. Inside, it contains various substances that show biological activity, such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and metabolites. The study of EVs extracted from terrestrial organisms and stem cells on inflammatory environments and tissue regeneration have been actively conducted. However, marine organisms-derived EVs are limited. Therefore, we have extracted EVs from sea urchins belonging to the Echinoderm group with their excellent regenerative ability. First, we extracted extracellular matrix (ECM) from sea urchin gonads treated with hypotonic buffer, followed by collagenase treatment, and filtration to collect ECM-bounded EVs. The size of sea urchin gonad-derived EVs (UGEVs) is about 20-100 nm and has a round shape. The protein content was higher after EVs burst than before, which is evidence that proteins are contained inside. In addition, proteins of various sizes are distributed inside. PKH-26 was combined with UGEVs, which means that UGEVs have a lipid membrane. PHK-26-labeled UGEVs were successfully uptaken by cells. UGEVs can be confirmed to have the same characteristics as traditional EVs. Finally, it was confirmed that Schwann cells were not toxic by increasing proliferation after treatment.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.265-273
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• 2001

The sea urchin has been used as sea food in many countries. This species has also been an important organism of embryological studies for more than a century. In recent years, sea urchin embryos are being used as testing materials for toxicity of pollutants and toxins. Usefulness of sea urchin embryos as experimental models comes from the easiness in obtaining sea urchin samples and a lot of gametes, in rearing embryos in the laboratory, in observing the cellular movement and organ formation during the embryogenesis and in manipulating blastomeres and genetic maferials. The sea urchin in itself is a key organism for the understanding of deuterostome evolution from the protostomes and of indirect development of marine invertebrates which undergo the planktotrophic larval stage. A fertilized sea urchin egg goes through rapid cleavage and becomes a 60 cell embryo 7hr after fertilization. It then develops into a morula, a blastula, a gastrula and finally a pluteus larva approximately 70 hr after fertilization. At the 60 cell stage, the embryo comprises of five territories that express territory-speciflc genes and later form different organs. Micromeres at the vegetal pole ingress into the blastoceol and become the primary mesenchyme cells(PMCs). PMCs express genes involved in skeletogenesis such as SM30, SM37, SM50, PM27, msp130. Among the genes, SM37 and SM50 are considered to be members of a gene family which is characterized by early blastula expression, Glycine-Proline-Glutamine rich repeat structures and spicule matrix forming basic proteins. Genetic studies on the sea urchin embryos help understand the molecular basis of indirect development of marine invertebrates and also of the biomineralization common to the animal kingdom.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2003

A series of experiments were conducted to compare the effects of various diluents in cold storage on the sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherimus sperm. Various diluents of glucose solutions, artificial sea water(ASW) and 50% ASW were used to store the sperm at 4$^{\circ}C$. The storage effect was evaluated using sperm activity index(SAI), survival rate of sperm and fertilization rate to egg. ASW and 1.2 M glucose were found to be better diluents which maintained high motility and survival rate of sperm f3r a storage period of 30 days. Optimal pH of diluent to store the sperm at 4$^{\circ}C$ is 7.0∼8.0. In order to keep high SAI and survival rate of sperm, addition of 400 ppm neomycin into the diluent revealed the best storage results.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 1996

Toxicity of surface seawater in Ulsan Bay on a sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus was assessed to investigate the correlation between the concentrations of five heavy metals (Fe, Co, Cu, Cd, and Ni) and the impairments during the developmental stage of the sea urchin eggs. The tests during the six developmental stages of the eggs, are fertilization rate, cell 4, cell 4, polyspermic cleavage, permanent blastula and exogastrula. Highly positive correlations were found between the concentrations of Cu, Co and Ni and the toxicities on the eggs. Such tests will be useful as an indicator of seawater quality.

• ALGAE
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 2021

The sea urchin, Mesocentrotus nudus, is widely distributed in North West Pacific regions. It has a substantial impact on macroalgal communities as a generalist herbivore. This study examined various aspects of its feeding ecology, including algal preference, foraging behaviors, and possible effects of past feeding history on its algal preference. We used six common algal species (Ulva australis, Undaria pinnatifida, Sargassum confusum, Dictyopteris divaricata, Grateloupia elliptica, and Grateloupia angusta) from the east coast of Korea as food choice in a series of indoor aquarium experiments. The first choice of starved M. nudus was exclusively U. pinnatifida, followed by G. elliptica and S. confusum. Unlike large urchins, small urchins equally preferred U. pinnatifida and G. elliptica. On the other hand, Undaria-fed urchins preferred to feed only G. elliptica, although its preference slightly differed over time. We then grouped sea urchins into three categories (starved, Undaria-fed, mixed species-fed) to observe 12-days feeding preference as well as early foraging movements. Foraging behaviors of the three groups were distinctively different, although they could not completely reflect the actual consumption. For example, U. australis was highly attractive, but rarely eaten. Undaria-fed urchins seemed to stay with only S. confusum and U. australis. This study demonstrates that M. nudus shows high flexibility in food preference depending on past feeding history and body size. Its foraging behaviors are also affected by past feeding conditions, exhibiting active chemoreceptive movements.