Study adds new sea cucumber species to the research toolbox.

Researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) and the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (SZS) have established Holothuria tubulosa, a species of sea cucumber, as an experimental research organism. Sea cucumbers are echinoderms, which are genetically similar to humans, making them valuable for studying gene function. The researchers developed a noninvasive technique to harvest gametes from sea cucumbers, allowing for efficient production of embryonic cultures in a lab setting. This protocol removes a major obstacle to using sea cucumbers as research organisms and opens the door for more scientists to study them. [Extracted from the article]