The isotopic effects of D2O in developing sea urchin eggs.

When developing sea urchin eggs were treated with sea water containing 40% D2O (D2O-SW) at the 8-cell stage, the micromere formation was delayed and micromeres were larger than those seen in the control. But eggs returned to normal artificial sea water (NASW) at the 16- to 32-cell stage did not form abnormal spicules in larvae of Pseudocentrotus depressus. Little effect on the spicule formation of Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus was also noted. If the culture period in D2O-SW was extended until the hatching stage, the number of plutei with abnormal spicules increased. Primary mesenchyme cells of Pseudocentrotus depressus larvae failed to make two aggregated spicule rudiments on the ventral side of the larva and developed a ring-like spicule. This ring-like spicule, however, only occasionally occurred in the larvae of Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. The cell cycle was longer in the presence of D2O. However, blastomeres managed to divide throughout the development. Larvae reared in 20% D2O-SW after the hatching stage developed into quasi-normal plutei but smaller than control. We found no exogastrulation in these larvae. Exogastrulation was found only in larvae continuously cultured in 40% D2O-SW from the early development. These results are inconsistent with previous reports made by other authors.