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Members of the phylum Echinodermata are among the most familiar marine invertebrates. Forms such as the sea star have become virtually a symbol of sea life. Used in ancient oriental medicine as a source of bioactive compounds, sea cucumbers, sea stars and sea urchins are now used for the extraction and purification of cytotoxic, haemolytic, antiviral, antifungal, antifouling, antimicrobial and even anti-tumoural activities. In addition, of the five extant classes, sea urchins and sea cucumbers are important economic resources for current fishery and aquaculture. Molecular and cell biological techniques described in this book are, on the one hand, indicative of the improvements made over the years and, on the other, stress the need of their further exploitation for the sustainable production of bioactive compounds and their application in biomedicine.
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Marine Molecular Biotechnology Subseries of Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology Series Editor: Werner E. G. Müller Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology Series Editors: W.E.G. Müller (Managing Editor), Ph. Jeanteur, Y. Kuchino, A. Macieira-Coelho, R. E. Rhoads 39 Volumes published in the Series Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology Subseries Marine Molecular Biotechnology Volume 25 Signaling Through the Cell Matrix A. Macieira-Coelho (Ed.) Volume 37 Sponges (Porifera) W.E.G. Müller (Ed.) Volume 26 Signaling Pathways for Translation: Insulin and Nutrients R.E. Rhoads (Ed.) Volume 39 Echinodermata V. Matranga (Ed.) Volume 27 Signaling Pathways for Translation: Stress, Calcium, and Rapamycin R.E. Rhoads (Ed.) Volume 28 Small Stress Proteins A.-P. Arrigo and W.E.G. Müller (Eds.) Volume 29 Protein Degradation in Health and Disease M. Reboud-Ravaux (Ed.) Volume 30 Biology of Aging A. Macieira-Coelho Volume 31 Regulation of Alternative Splicing Ph. Jeanteur (Ed.) Volume 32 Guidance Cues in the Developing Brain I. Kostovic (Ed.) Volume 33 Silicon Biomineralization W.E.G. Müller (Ed.) Volume 34 Invertebrate Cytokines and the Phylogeny of Immunity A. Beschin and W.E.G. Müller (Eds.) Volume 35 RNA Trafficking and Nuclear Structure Dynamics Ph. Jeanteur (Ed.) Volume 36 Viruses and Apoptosis C. Alonso (Ed.) Volume 38 Epigenetics and Chromatin Ph. Jeanteur (Ed.) Valeria Matranga (Ed.) Echinodermata With 75 Figures, 11 in Color 1 23 Dr. Valeria Matranga Istituto die Biomedicina e Immunologia Molecolare „Alberto Monroy“ Via U. La Malfa 153 90146 Palermo Italy ISSN 1611-6119 ISBN 3-540-24402-6 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2004117278 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permissions for use must always be obtained from Springer-Verlag. Violations are liable for prosecution under the German Copyright Law. Springer-Verlag is a part of Springer Science+Business Media springeronline.com © Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2005 Printed in Germany The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Product liability: The publishers cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information about dosage and application contained in this book. In every individual case the u