title: Changes in collagenous tissue microstructures and distributions of cathepsin L in body wall of autolytic sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus).
abstract: The autolysis of sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus) was induced by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and the changes of microstructures of collagenous tissues and distributions of cathepsin L were investigated using histological and histochemical techniques. Intact collagen fibers in fresh S. japonicus dermis were disaggregated into collagen fibrils after UV stimuli. Cathepsin L was identified inside the surface of vacuoles in the fresh S. japonicus dermis cells. After the UV stimuli, the membranes of vacuoles and cells were fused together, and cathepsin L was released from cells and diffused into tissues. The density of cathepsin L was positively correlated with the speed and degree of autolysis in different layers of body wall. Our results revealed that lysosomal cathepsin L was released from cells in response to UV stimuli, which contacts and degrades the extracellular substrates such as collagen fibers, and thus participates in the autolysis of S. japonicus.
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Yu-Xin
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China. Electronic address: zdyzf1@163.com.
authors.forename: Da-Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Dong-Dong
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Dong-Mei
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiu-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Ming-Qian
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian 116034, PR China; The Innovation center of Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing 100083, PR China; Tianjin Food Safety & Low Carbon Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Tianjin 300457, PR China. Electronic address: zhubeiwei@163.com.
authors.forename: Bei-Wei
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001329:Autolysis / Q000473:pathology*; D056668:Cathepsin L / Q000378:metabolism*; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012616:Sea Cucumbers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen; D056668:Cathepsin L
keywords: Autolysis; Cathepsin L; Collagen fibers; Electron histochemistry; Localization; Sea cucumber (Stichopus japonicus)