Micromere-derived signal regulates larval left-right polarity during sea urchin development

The micromeres (Mics) lineage functions as a morphogenetic signaling center in early embryos of sea urchins. The Mics lineage releases signals that regulate the specification of cell fates along the animal‐vegetal and oral‐aboral axes. We tested whether the Mics lineage might also be responsible for differentiation of the left‐right (LR) axis by observing of the placement of the adult rudiment, which normally forms only on the left side of the larvae, after removal of the Mics lineage. When all of the Mics lineage were removed from embryos of the regular sea urchin Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus between the 16‐ and 64‐cell stages, the LR placement of the rudiment became randomized. However, the immediate retransplantation of the Mics rescued the normal LR placement of the rudiment, indicating that the Mics lineage releases a signal that specifies LR polarity. Additionally, we investigated whether the specification of LR polarity of whole embryos in the indirect‐developing sea urchin H. pulcherrimus is affected by LiCl exposure, which disturbs the establishment of LR asymmetry in a direct‐developing sea urchin. Larvae derived from normal animal caps combined with LiCl‐exposed Mics descendants were defective in normal LR placement of the rudiment, suggesting that LiCl interferes with the Mics‐derived signal. In contrast, embryos of two sand dollar species (Scaphechinus mirabilis and Astriclypeus manni) were resistant to alteration of LR placement of the rudiment by either removal of the Mics lineage or LiCl exposure. These results indicate that the Mics lineage is involved in specification of LR polarity in the regular sea urchin H. pulcherrimus, and suggest that LiCl impairs the normal LR patterning by affecting Mics‐derived signaling. J. Exp. Zool. 307A:249–262, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.