Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 10, 2026
09:10
Establishing an Octopus Ecosystem for Biomedical and Bioengineering Research
Published on: September 22, 2021
3.3K
Integrated morphological and transcriptomic analysis of sucker development in Octopus minor
Yeonji Kim1,2, Chan-Jun Lee1, Kyoung-Bin Ryu1
1Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, College of Natural Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea.
Animal Cells and Systems
|March 9, 2026
Summary
This study reveals how octopus suckers develop from embryo to juvenile, uncovering key genes like WNT signaling involved in muscle formation. These findings offer insights into cephalopod appendage evolution.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Coleoid cephalopods, like octopuses, are valuable models for studying evolution and development.
- Arm suckers are crucial for cephalopod survival but their cellular and molecular development is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the embryonic and juvenile development of arm suckers in Octopus minor.
- To identify cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying sucker morphogenesis and muscle development.
Main Methods:
- Morphological, histological, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses.
- Immunostaining for nerve and muscle markers.
- In situ hybridization and transcriptomic profiling of key developmental stages.
Main Results:
- Sucker formation progresses from symmetrical to asymmetrical via an embedding process.
- Identified 2,349 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to arm and muscle development.
- Observed upregulation of Omi-Gata4, Omi-Mef2A, and WNT signaling genes (Omi-Fzd9, Omi-Wnt2, Omi-Wnt5) in developing suckers.
Conclusions:
- WNT signaling plays a significant role in sucker muscle development in Octopus minor, similar to its conserved function in vertebrates.
- This research provides novel insights into the molecular and cellular basis of cephalopod arm and sucker morphogenesis.
