have been used also for the evaluation of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, teratogenicity
and antimitotic activity of natural and synthetic compounds and on the development of new medicines and pharmacological tools (Kobayashi 1973; Fusetani
1987; Zúñiga et al. 1995; Saotome et al. 1999; Costa-Lotufo et al. 2002; Hansen
et al. 2003; Cummings and Kavlock 2004). For instance, the potential cytotoxicity
of a diterpene (kaurenoic acid), a natural compound isolated from the wood of a
tropical forest tree (i.e. oleo-resin of Copaifera langsdorffii), shows nonspecific
cytotoxicity. This kaurenoic acid disrupts the embryonic-larval development of
L. variegatus, inhibits tumor cell growth in mammals and causes hemolysis of
mouse and human erythrocytes (Costa-Lotufo et al. 2002).
Many factors contribute for the increasing use of sea urchin embryos as testorganisms, including their worldwide distribution, their key role on intertidal and
subtidal communities and the ease with which adults of many species can be
collected in their natural habitat. It is also easy to obtain large amounts of ova and
sperm for in vitro fertilization, and the embryonic development is rapid and highly
successful (Nilin el al. 2008). However, for environmental quality assessment
there are some additional factors that have to be considered, such as salinity,
ammonia and sulfite concentrations, pH and temperature of the water (Nipper
2000; Carr et al. 2006).
9.2.6 Brazilian Echinoderm Deep-Sea Research
Echinoderms live in a wide variety of marine habitats, exert a considerable
influence on benthic communities, especially in the deep-sea where they may
represent more than 80 % of the total megafaunal biomass in certain areas, playing
an important role in complex food webs (Haedrich et al. 1980; Sibuet and Lawrence 1981; Smith and Hamilton 1983; Gage et al. 1983, 1985; Gooday and Turley
1990; Amon and Herndl 1991; Gage and Tyler 1991; Campos et al. 1994; Hendler
et al. 1995; Borges et al. 2002a; Campos et al. 2010).
During the past 23 years, substantial deep-sea research has been carried out in
Brazil (Tavares 1999; Lavrado 2006; Campos et al. 2010). The first records of the
Brazilian bathyal and abyssal fauna were compiled at the end of the nineteenth
century as a result of the Hassler, Challenger and Albatross expeditions (Tavares
1999). In 1987, the French-Brazilian Marion Dufresne (MD55) expedition sampled in the Vitoria-Trindade seamounts region down to a depth of 5,500 m in order
to investigate the faunistic transition from Cabo Frio (where the sub-Antarctic
SACW upwelling occurs) to the Abrolhos slope (Guille and Ramos 1987; Tavares
1999). Several echinoderm species, especially ophiuroids, sea stars and
sea cucumbers, have been sampled during the MD55 campaign (Guille and
Ramos 1987).
Other efforts provided valuable deep-sea material from the Brazilian continental margin towards the end of the twentieth century. The INTEGRADO Project
sampled from 60 to 600 m depth at São Paulo State coast, and later the Evaluation
9 Echinoderm from Brazil
313
and antimitotic activity of natural and synthetic compounds and on the development of new medicines and pharmacological tools (Kobayashi 1973; Fusetani
1987; Zúñiga et al. 1995; Saotome et al. 1999; Costa-Lotufo et al. 2002; Hansen
et al. 2003; Cummings and Kavlock 2004). For instance, the potential cytotoxicity
of a diterpene (kaurenoic acid), a natural compound isolated from the wood of a
tropical forest tree (i.e. oleo-resin of Copaifera langsdorffii), shows nonspecific
cytotoxicity. This kaurenoic acid disrupts the embryonic-larval development of
L. variegatus, inhibits tumor cell growth in mammals and causes hemolysis of
mouse and human erythrocytes (Costa-Lotufo et al. 2002).
Many factors contribute for the increasing use of sea urchin embryos as testorganisms, including their worldwide distribution, their key role on intertidal and
subtidal communities and the ease with which adults of many species can be
collected in their natural habitat. It is also easy to obtain large amounts of ova and
sperm for in vitro fertilization, and the embryonic development is rapid and highly
successful (Nilin el al. 2008). However, for environmental quality assessment
there are some additional factors that have to be considered, such as salinity,
ammonia and sulfite concentrations, pH and temperature of the water (Nipper
2000; Carr et al. 2006).
9.2.6 Brazilian Echinoderm Deep-Sea Research
Echinoderms live in a wide variety of marine habitats, exert a considerable
influence on benthic communities, especially in the deep-sea where they may
represent more than 80 % of the total megafaunal biomass in certain areas, playing
an important role in complex food webs (Haedrich et al. 1980; Sibuet and Lawrence 1981; Smith and Hamilton 1983; Gage et al. 1983, 1985; Gooday and Turley
1990; Amon and Herndl 1991; Gage and Tyler 1991; Campos et al. 1994; Hendler
et al. 1995; Borges et al. 2002a; Campos et al. 2010).
During the past 23 years, substantial deep-sea research has been carried out in
Brazil (Tavares 1999; Lavrado 2006; Campos et al. 2010). The first records of the
Brazilian bathyal and abyssal fauna were compiled at the end of the nineteenth
century as a result of the Hassler, Challenger and Albatross expeditions (Tavares
1999). In 1987, the French-Brazilian Marion Dufresne (MD55) expedition sampled in the Vitoria-Trindade seamounts region down to a depth of 5,500 m in order
to investigate the faunistic transition from Cabo Frio (where the sub-Antarctic
SACW upwelling occurs) to the Abrolhos slope (Guille and Ramos 1987; Tavares
1999). Several echinoderm species, especially ophiuroids, sea stars and
sea cucumbers, have been sampled during the MD55 campaign (Guille and
Ramos 1987).
Other efforts provided valuable deep-sea material from the Brazilian continental margin towards the end of the twentieth century. The INTEGRADO Project
sampled from 60 to 600 m depth at São Paulo State coast, and later the Evaluation
9 Echinoderm from Brazil
313