Nickel uptake by sea urchin embryos and their subsequent development

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Abstract
There is active uptake of radioactive nickel by fertilized eggs and embryos of the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus. The nickel taken into the cells is free and can be released by the addition of exogenous, non‐radioactive nickel. The morphological development of embryos raised in sea water containing 10−2 to 10−6 M NiCl2 was investigated. Nickel uptake is initiated right after fertilization, but its effect on development does not appear until much later. Embryos grown in 10−2 and 10−3 M NiCl2 cleaved at a normal rate and formed blastulae but did not gastrulate. Embryos grown in 10 −4 to 10−6 M NiCl2 were able to gastrulate but failed to develop dorsoventral symmetry and formed radialized larvae.