In addition to their unique evolutionary position as invertebrate
chordates, ascidians provide a simple experimental system to investigate molecular mechanisms
underlying development, reproduction, endocrinology, and physiology.
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Echinoderms are one of the major phyla in deuterostomes and important for
understanding evolution of deuterostomes. Sea urchins, sea stars and sea cucumbers have been
studied as representative echinoderms because their high availability; however, these animals
lost some characteristics of original echinoderms.
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