A farewell to arms: using X-ray synchrotron imaging to investigate autotomy in brittle stars
Abstract
Autotomy, the self-induced loss of a body structure, occurs in every living class of echinoderms and is related to the remarkable regeneration capabilities of the group. It is particularly prevalent in brittle stars (Class Ophiuroidea). Autotomy is facilitated by mutable collagenous tissue (MCT), which undergoes nervous system-mediated changes in tensile stiffness, tensile strength, and viscosity. Previous investigations of autotomy have been based on observations of the external surface, surgical manipulation of internal structures, or data on the morphology of structures post-autotomy. We used fast phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron imaging to visualize full autotomy events in vivo in the arms of specimens of the brittle star Ophioderma brevispina. This method requires no chemical or surgical manipulation and enabled us to identify several key stages in the autotomy process. We used this methodology to observe critical changes within the internal structure of the arm as it transitions from a functional mechanical apparatus to a dysfunctional disarticulated state. This method is the first in which the full intersegmental plane of the arm can be observed during autotomy. In conclusion, it can be applied to visualize autotomy and motion in vivo in other brittle star taxa, as well as in other groups such as asteroidsmore »
- Authors:
-
[1];
[1]
- Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States)
- Vandebilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States); Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA (United States); Pitzer College, Claremont, CA (United States); Scripps College, Claremont, CA (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1572904
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Zoomorphology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 138; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0720-213X
- Publisher:
- Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES; Autotomy; Mutable collagenous tissue; Ophiuroidea; Synchrotron imaging
Citation Formats
Clark, Elizabeth G., Fezzaa, K., Burke, J. E., Racicot, R. A., Shaw, J. O., Westacott, S., and Briggs, D. E. G. A farewell to arms: using X-ray synchrotron imaging to investigate autotomy in brittle stars. United States: N. p., 2019.
Web. doi:10.1007/s00435-019-00451-7.
Clark, Elizabeth G., Fezzaa, K., Burke, J. E., Racicot, R. A., Shaw, J. O., Westacott, S., & Briggs, D. E. G. A farewell to arms: using X-ray synchrotron imaging to investigate autotomy in brittle stars. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-019-00451-7
Clark, Elizabeth G., Fezzaa, K., Burke, J. E., Racicot, R. A., Shaw, J. O., Westacott, S., and Briggs, D. E. G. Wed .
"A farewell to arms: using X-ray synchrotron imaging to investigate autotomy in brittle stars". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-019-00451-7. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1572904.
@article{osti_1572904,
title = {A farewell to arms: using X-ray synchrotron imaging to investigate autotomy in brittle stars},
author = {Clark, Elizabeth G. and Fezzaa, K. and Burke, J. E. and Racicot, R. A. and Shaw, J. O. and Westacott, S. and Briggs, D. E. G.},
abstractNote = {Autotomy, the self-induced loss of a body structure, occurs in every living class of echinoderms and is related to the remarkable regeneration capabilities of the group. It is particularly prevalent in brittle stars (Class Ophiuroidea). Autotomy is facilitated by mutable collagenous tissue (MCT), which undergoes nervous system-mediated changes in tensile stiffness, tensile strength, and viscosity. Previous investigations of autotomy have been based on observations of the external surface, surgical manipulation of internal structures, or data on the morphology of structures post-autotomy. We used fast phase-contrast X-ray synchrotron imaging to visualize full autotomy events in vivo in the arms of specimens of the brittle star Ophioderma brevispina. This method requires no chemical or surgical manipulation and enabled us to identify several key stages in the autotomy process. We used this methodology to observe critical changes within the internal structure of the arm as it transitions from a functional mechanical apparatus to a dysfunctional disarticulated state. This method is the first in which the full intersegmental plane of the arm can be observed during autotomy. In conclusion, it can be applied to visualize autotomy and motion in vivo in other brittle star taxa, as well as in other groups such as asteroids and arthropods.},
doi = {10.1007/s00435-019-00451-7},
journal = {Zoomorphology},
number = 3,
volume = 138,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jun 05 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Wed Jun 05 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
Other availability
Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal
Cited by: 2 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science
Web of Science
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.
Works referenced in this record:
Leave it all behind: a taxonomic perspective of autotomy in invertebrates
journal, August 2007
- Fleming, Patricia A.; Muller, Davina; Bateman, Philip W.
- Biological Reviews, Vol. 82, Issue 3
Nervously mediated change in the mechanical properties of a brittlestar ligament
journal, January 1978
- Wilkie, I. C.
- Marine Behaviour and Physiology, Vol. 5, Issue 4
Marine-derived collagen biomaterials from echinoderm connective tissues
journal, July 2017
- Ferrario, Cinzia; Leggio, Livio; Leone, Roberta
- Marine Environmental Research, Vol. 128
Collagenous Extracellular Matrix Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering: Lessons from the Common Sea Urchin Tissue
journal, April 2017
- Goh, Kheng; Holmes, David
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Vol. 18, Issue 5
The tendons of Ophiocomina nigra and their role in autotomy (Echinodermata, Ophiuroida)
journal, June 1987
- Wilkie, I. C.; Emson, R. H.
- Zoomorphology, Vol. 107, Issue 1
Functional morphology of the autotomy plane of the brittlestarOphiocomina nigra (abildgaard) (ophiuroidea, echinodermata)
journal, January 1978
- Wilkie, I. C.
- Zoomorphologie, Vol. 91, Issue 3
Integrating morphology and in vivo skeletal mobility with digital models to infer function in brittle star arms
journal, October 2018
- Clark, Elizabeth G.; Hutchinson, John R.; Darroch, Simon A. F.
- Journal of Anatomy, Vol. 233, Issue 6
Tracheal Respiration in Insects Visualized with Synchrotron X-ray Imaging
journal, January 2003
- Westneat, M. W.
- Science, Vol. 299, Issue 5606
Variable tensility in echinoderm collagenous tissues: A review
journal, June 1984
- Wilkie, I. C.
- Marine Behaviour and Physiology, Vol. 11, Issue 1
Arm autotomy in brittlestars (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea)
journal, November 1978
- Wilkie, I. C.
- Journal of Zoology, Vol. 186, Issue 3
Autotomy as a prelude to regeneration in echinoderms
journal, January 2001
- Wilkie, I. C.
- Microscopy Research and Technique, Vol. 55, Issue 6