Abstract
INVESTIGATIONS of the mechanism of starfish spawning induced by injection of a water extract of radial nerves have shown that an active polypeptide acts on the ovary and induces the production of a second substance which is, in the true sense, a meiosis inducing factor as well as a spawning inducing factor1–7. The neural substance has therefore been renamed gonad stimulating substance (GSS), and the second substance, produced in the ovary, is meiosis inducing substance (MIS)5,7. Isolated ovarian fragments immersed in seawater containing MIS discharge their eggs4,5,7, while isolated oocytes with germinal vesicles treated with MIS mature4–7. The production of MIS by GSS has been demonstrated in isolated ovarian fragments of seven species of starfish, and it seems to be non-species specific among starfishes7. MIS is heat stable (100° C, 30 min) and is not a peptide5,6.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chaet, A. B., Biol. Bull., 126, 8 (1964).
Chaet, A. B., Biol. Bull., 130, 43 (1966).
Kanatani, H., Science, 146, 1177 (1964).
Kanatani, H., Jap. J. Exp. Morphol., 21, 61 (1967).
Kanatani, H., and Shirai, H., Nature, 216, 284 (1967).
Schuetz, A. W., and Biggers, J. D., Exp. Cell Res., 46, 624 (1967).
Kanatani, H., Gen. and Comp. Endocrinol., Suppl. 2 (in the press).
Kanatani, H., and Ohguri, M., Biol. Bull., 131, 104 (1966).
Brookes, P., and Lawley, P. D., J. Chem. Soc., 539 (1960).
Montgomery, A., and Thomas, H. J., J. Org. Chem., 30, 3235 (1965).
Jones, J. W., and Robins, R. K., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 85, 193 (1963).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
KANATANI, H., SHIRAI, H., NAKANISHI, K. et al. Isolation and Identification of Meiosis Inducing Substance in Starfish Asterias amurensis. Nature 221, 273–274 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/221273a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/221273a0
This article is cited by
-
Sex-specific expression of pheromones and other signals in gravid starfish
BMC Biology (2022)
-
Cellular and molecular aspects of oocyte maturation and fertilization: a perspective from the actin cytoskeleton
Zoological Letters (2020)
-
Oocyte maturation and active motility of spermatozoa are triggered by retinoic acid in pen shell Atrina pectinata
Fisheries Science (2018)
-
Entry into mitosis: a solution to the decades-long enigma of MPF
Chromosoma (2015)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.