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Main Authors: Qassem, Areen, Gildor, Tsvia, de-Leon, Smadar Ben-Tabou
Format: Artículo científico
Language:en
Published: Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40757679/
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author Qassem, Areen
Gildor, Tsvia
de-Leon, Smadar Ben-Tabou
author_facet Qassem, Areen
Gildor, Tsvia
de-Leon, Smadar Ben-Tabou
Qassem, Areen
Gildor, Tsvia
de-Leon, Smadar Ben-Tabou
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Possible role of microtubules in vesicular transport of matrix protein during sea urchin larval biomineralization. Qassem, Areen Gildor, Tsvia de-Leon, Smadar Ben-Tabou Animals Microtubules Biomineralization Sea Urchins Larva Biomineralization is a vital biological process through which organisms produce mineralized structures such as shells, skeletons, and teeth. Microtubules are essential for biomineralization in various eukaryotic species; however, their specific roles in this process remain unclear. Here, we investigated the structure and function of microtubule filaments and their co-localization with matrix and focal adhesion proteins during the elongation of the calcite spicules of the sea urchin larva. First, we show that inhibiting microtubule polymerization using Nocodazole in whole embryos and isolated skeletogenic cell cultures results in a significant reduction of skeletal growth and affects skeletal morphology. Next, we demonstrate that microtubule filaments elongate from around the skeletogenic nuclei to the biomineralization compartment where they overlap with active focal adhesion kinase. The expression of spicule matrix proteins overlaps with microtubule filaments around the nuclei and with microtubule filaments that elongate to the spicule cavity. We propose that vesicles bearing matrix proteins are trafficked on microtubules to the spicule cavity where their exocytosis is assisted by focal adhesions. The role of microtubules in biomineralization from unicellular algae to human bones suggests that the proposed microtubule-guided vesicle transport into the biomineralization compartment could be a common mechanism in Eukaryotes' biomineralization.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_40757679
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2026
publisher Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Possible role of microtubules in vesicular transport of matrix protein during sea urchin larval biomineralization.
Qassem, Areen
Gildor, Tsvia
de-Leon, Smadar Ben-Tabou
Animals
Microtubules
Biomineralization
Sea Urchins
Larva
Possible role of microtubules in vesicular transport of matrix protein during sea urchin larval biomineralization. Qassem, Areen Gildor, Tsvia de-Leon, Smadar Ben-Tabou Animals Microtubules Biomineralization Sea Urchins Larva Biomineralization is a vital biological process through which organisms produce mineralized structures such as shells, skeletons, and teeth. Microtubules are essential for biomineralization in various eukaryotic species; however, their specific roles in this process remain unclear. Here, we investigated the structure and function of microtubule filaments and their co-localization with matrix and focal adhesion proteins during the elongation of the calcite spicules of the sea urchin larva. First, we show that inhibiting microtubule polymerization using Nocodazole in whole embryos and isolated skeletogenic cell cultures results in a significant reduction of skeletal growth and affects skeletal morphology. Next, we demonstrate that microtubule filaments elongate from around the skeletogenic nuclei to the biomineralization compartment where they overlap with active focal adhesion kinase. The expression of spicule matrix proteins overlaps with microtubule filaments around the nuclei and with microtubule filaments that elongate to the spicule cavity. We propose that vesicles bearing matrix proteins are trafficked on microtubules to the spicule cavity where their exocytosis is assisted by focal adhesions. The role of microtubules in biomineralization from unicellular algae to human bones suggests that the proposed microtubule-guided vesicle transport into the biomineralization compartment could be a common mechanism in Eukaryotes' biomineralization.
title Possible role of microtubules in vesicular transport of matrix protein during sea urchin larval biomineralization.
topic Animals
Microtubules
Biomineralization
Sea Urchins
Larva
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40757679/