Echinoderms are Deuterostomes

Echinoderms have been used to study embryo development for over 100 years.

They are ideal models for studying embryo development due to:

transparency,

external fertilization,

synchronized fertilization,

skeletogenesis,

bilateral symmetry of larvae and

pentameric, radial symmetry of adults.

They are also emerging as models for regeneration.

Numerous labs are involved in studying the Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) of embryo development, skeletogenesis and regeneration.

And now, new genomics tools are enabling deeper insights into evolution and development within Deuterostomes.