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Starfish as a Model System for Analyzing Signal Transduction During Fertilization

  • Emily Wiseman
  • Lauren Bates
  • Altair Dubé
  • David J. CarrollEmail author
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation book series (RESULTS, volume 65)

Abstract

The starfish oocyte and egg offer advantages for use as a model system for signal transduction research. Some of these have been recognized for over a century, including the ease of procuring gametes, in vitro fertilization, and culturing the embryos. New advances, particularly in genomics, have also opened up opportunities for the use of these animals. In this chapter, we give a few examples of the historical use of the starfish for research in cell biology and then describe some new areas in which we believe the starfish can contribute to our understanding of signal transduction—particularly in fertilization.

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Copyright information

© Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  • Emily Wiseman
    • 1
  • Lauren Bates
    • 1
  • Altair Dubé
    • 1
  • David J. Carroll
    • 1
    Email author
  1. 1.Department of Biological SciencesFlorida Institute of TechnologyMelbourneUSA

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