Echinoderm biology and ecology

Echinoderms — the group that includes sea stars, urchins, and sea cucumbers — are marine invertebrates whose unusual biology has drawn sustained scientific attention across ecology, biochemistry, and aquaculture. Sea cucumbers in particular produce triterpene glycosides, a class of bioactive compounds with documented antimicrobial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory properties, making them a focal point for both pharmacological research and the development of functional foods. Their remarkable capacity for regeneration, including the ability to regrow entire organ systems after evisceration, raises fundamental questions about tissue repair mechanisms that remain incompletely understood. On the applied side, researchers are working to establish sustainable aquaculture practices that can meet growing global demand without depleting wild populations — a challenge that requires integrating ecological, genetic, and husbandry knowledge.

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57,623

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252,717

Keywords

Sea CucumbersFunctional FoodsAquacultureTriterpene GlycosidesRegenerationEchinodermata