BIOLOGIYA MORYA, 2014, Vol. 40, No. 1, pp. 70-74

Distribution of Wnt5 protein in tissues of the holothurian Eupentacta fraudatrix (Djakonov et Baranova, 1958) (Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida) in norm and during regeneration

© 2014 A. S. Girich¹, I. Yu. Dolmatov^{1, 2}, N. E. Lamash¹

¹A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, Far East Branch, Russian Academy Sciences, Vladivostok 690041;
²Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok 690000

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The Wnt5 protein localization in holothurian Eupentacta fraudatrix tissues was examined in norm and during regeneration. In healthy E. fraudatrix, Wnt5 was found in solitary cells of the hypodermis and in the radial nerve cords. During regeneration, the number of Wnt5 positive cells was increased. They were observed in the connective tissue of the body wall and the pharyngeal bulb, in the nervous system tissues, the coelomic epithelium, and amoebocytes. The Wnt5 protein may participate in regulating the regeneration in the holothurian E. fraudatrix; it probably modulates cell migration, extracellular matrix reorganization, and neurogenesis.

Key words: holothurians, echinoderms, Eupentacta fraudatrix, regeneration, evisceration, Wnt.