title: Antimitotic effect of an extract of the sea anemone Bunodosoma caissarum on sea urchin egg development.
abstract: A methanolic extract of the sea anemone Bunodosoma caissarum has an antimitotic effect on sea urchin egg development. The extract produces a dose-dependent inhibition of cell cleavage. When the extract is added together with sperm to unfertilized sea urchin eggs, the ED50 is 0.60 +/- 0.03 mg/ml (mean +/- SEM). When added shortly after fertilization, the extract produces the same kind of progressive inhibition but with an ED50 of 0.98 +/- 0.16 mg/ml. In the first case, detachment of the vitelline layer is inhibited whereas in the second case the extract inhibits cleavage even when the membrane is present.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia Geral, Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Malpezzi
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Freitas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D010063:Ovum / Q000254:growth & development*; D012615:Sea Anemones; D012617:Sea Urchins; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014020:Tissue Extracts