The viscosity change of the body-wall dermis of the sea cucumber Stichopus japonicus caused by mechanical and chemical stimulation

Strength in Weakness: The Mutable Collagenous Tissue of Echinoderms

“…Since echinoderm collagenous tissue was first shown to undergo reversible stiffening and destiffening, it has been conjectured that this capacity is used to maintain the posture of the body or its appendages for extended periods of time as an alternative to tonic muscular contraction, and that MCT thus serves an energy-sparing function [24,25,138,163]. Prolonged postural fixation is employed primarily in feeding mechanisms and as a defensive strategy.…”

Strength in Weakness: The Mutable Collagenous Tissue of Echinoderms

“…Since echinoderm collagenous tissue was first shown to undergo reversible stiffening and destiffening, it has been conjectured that this capacity is used to maintain the posture of the body or its appendages for extended periods of time as an alternative to tonic muscular contraction, and that MCT thus serves an energy-sparing function [24,25,138,163]. Prolonged postural fixation is employed primarily in feeding mechanisms and as a defensive strategy.…”

Localization of the neuropeptide NGIWYamide in the holothurian nervous system and its effects on muscular contraction

“…They are NGIWYamide, holokinin 1, holokinin 2 and stichopin, which all a¡ect the mechanical properties of the dermis of the sea cucumber body wall (Iwakoshi et al 1995;Birenheide et al 1998). The dermis is a catch connective tissue that can change its mechanical properties dramatically in response to various stimuli under nervous control (Motokawa 1981(Motokawa , 1984; see also Ruppert & Barnes 1994;Schmidt-Nielsen 1997). NGIWYamide sti¡ens the dermis, whereas holokinins soften it and stichopin blocks the e¡ect of ACh (Birenheide et al 1998).…”

Strength in Weakness: The Mutable Collagenous Tissue of Echinoderms

“…Since echinoderm collagenous tissue was first shown to undergo reversible stiffening and destiffening, it has been conjectured that this capacity is used to maintain the posture of the body or its appendages for extended periods of time as an alternative to tonic muscular contraction, and that MCT thus serves an energy-sparing function [24,25,138,163]. Prolonged postural fixation is employed primarily in feeding mechanisms and as a defensive strategy.…”

Localization of the neuropeptide NGIWYamide in the holothurian nervous system and its effects on muscular contraction

“…They are NGIWYamide, holokinin 1, holokinin 2 and stichopin, which all a¡ect the mechanical properties of the dermis of the sea cucumber body wall (Iwakoshi et al 1995;Birenheide et al 1998). The dermis is a catch connective tissue that can change its mechanical properties dramatically in response to various stimuli under nervous control (Motokawa 1981(Motokawa , 1984; see also Ruppert & Barnes 1994;Schmidt-Nielsen 1997). NGIWYamide sti¡ens the dermis, whereas holokinins soften it and stichopin blocks the e¡ect of ACh (Birenheide et al 1998).…”

Strength in Weakness: The Mutable Collagenous Tissue of Echinoderms

“…Since echinoderm collagenous tissue was first shown to undergo reversible stiffening and destiffening, it has been conjectured that this capacity is used to maintain the posture of the body or its appendages for extended periods of time as an alternative to tonic muscular contraction, and that MCT thus serves an energy-sparing function [24,25,138,163]. Prolonged postural fixation is employed primarily in feeding mechanisms and as a defensive strategy.…”

Localization of the neuropeptide NGIWYamide in the holothurian nervous system and its effects on muscular contraction

“…They are NGIWYamide, holokinin 1, holokinin 2 and stichopin, which all a¡ect the mechanical properties of the dermis of the sea cucumber body wall (Iwakoshi et al 1995;Birenheide et al 1998). The dermis is a catch connective tissue that can change its mechanical properties dramatically in response to various stimuli under nervous control (Motokawa 1981(Motokawa , 1984; see also Ruppert & Barnes 1994;Schmidt-Nielsen 1997). NGIWYamide sti¡ens the dermis, whereas holokinins soften it and stichopin blocks the e¡ect of ACh (Birenheide et al 1998).…”