Chapter 18
Cryopreservation of Marine Invertebrates: From Sperm
to Complex Larval Stages
Estefania Paredes, Pablo Heres, Catarina Anjos, and Elsa Cabrita
Abstract
Marine invertebrates represent the vast majority of marine biodiversity; they are extremely diverse playing a
key role in marine ecosystems, thus playing an important role at the socioeconomic level. Some invertebrates such as sea urchins, ascidians, and horse-shoe crabs are very well-known model organisms for
research and biocompound discovery. In this chapter we revisit the importance of cryopreservation for
the conservation and rational use in research, fisheries management, or aquaculture and provide comprehensive protocols for the cryopreservation of sperm, embryos, and larvae.
Key words Marine invertebrates, Cryopreservation, Echinoderms, Mollusks, Chordates
1 Introduction
1.1 General
Introduction
Marine invertebrates represent the vast majority of marine biodiversity, including, for example, corals, worms, mollusks, sea urchins, starfish, crustaceans, sea cucumbers, sea slugs, and jellyfish.
They are extremely diverse in size, complexity, form, and living/
feeding/reproducing mechanisms. Playing a key role in marine
ecosystems, they can be filter feeders, grazers, or browsers. Many
marine invertebrates are detritus eaters/sediment processers, thus
playing an important role in the recycling of organic matter in the
oceans, impacting water fluxes, nutrient release, pore water chemistry, and bacterial characteristics of sediments [1].
Some marine invertebrates are important at the socioeconomic
level, such as the pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), blue- and greenshell mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Perna canaliculus), or
crustaceans like the king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus). The
well-being of populations of these organisms affects thousands of
local communities and accounts for hundreds of millions of dollars
in the global market [2].
Other invertebrates such as sea urchins, ascidians, and horseshoe crabs are very well-known model organisms for biomedical
Willem F. Wolkers and Harrie ¨ tte Oldenhof (eds.), Cryopreservation and Freeze-Drying Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology,
vol. 2180, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0783-1_18, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021
413
Cryopreservation of Marine Invertebrates: From Sperm
to Complex Larval Stages
Estefania Paredes, Pablo Heres, Catarina Anjos, and Elsa Cabrita
Abstract
Marine invertebrates represent the vast majority of marine biodiversity; they are extremely diverse playing a
key role in marine ecosystems, thus playing an important role at the socioeconomic level. Some invertebrates such as sea urchins, ascidians, and horse-shoe crabs are very well-known model organisms for
research and biocompound discovery. In this chapter we revisit the importance of cryopreservation for
the conservation and rational use in research, fisheries management, or aquaculture and provide comprehensive protocols for the cryopreservation of sperm, embryos, and larvae.
Key words Marine invertebrates, Cryopreservation, Echinoderms, Mollusks, Chordates
1 Introduction
1.1 General
Introduction
Marine invertebrates represent the vast majority of marine biodiversity, including, for example, corals, worms, mollusks, sea urchins, starfish, crustaceans, sea cucumbers, sea slugs, and jellyfish.
They are extremely diverse in size, complexity, form, and living/
feeding/reproducing mechanisms. Playing a key role in marine
ecosystems, they can be filter feeders, grazers, or browsers. Many
marine invertebrates are detritus eaters/sediment processers, thus
playing an important role in the recycling of organic matter in the
oceans, impacting water fluxes, nutrient release, pore water chemistry, and bacterial characteristics of sediments [1].
Some marine invertebrates are important at the socioeconomic
level, such as the pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), blue- and greenshell mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis and Perna canaliculus), or
crustaceans like the king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus). The
well-being of populations of these organisms affects thousands of
local communities and accounts for hundreds of millions of dollars
in the global market [2].
Other invertebrates such as sea urchins, ascidians, and horseshoe crabs are very well-known model organisms for biomedical
Willem F. Wolkers and Harrie ¨ tte Oldenhof (eds.), Cryopreservation and Freeze-Drying Protocols, Methods in Molecular Biology,
vol. 2180, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0783-1_18, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2021
413