1. Is the fault in the components that perform any physical action?
Answer: No
2. Is the faulty component part of the mechanism’s body?
Answer: No
3. Is the faulty component in the fuel system?
Answer: No
4. Is the damaged component necessary for full functionality?
Answer: Yes
5. Is the damaged component comprised of multiple parts?
Answer: Yes
6. Can the faulty component be replaced without an external energy resource?
Answer: Yes
14) Japanese Spiky Sea Cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus
Japanese Spiky Sea Cucumbers are found in the Northwest Pacific ocean. It is currently on the Endangered species act after being exploited for its meat (ÒApostichopus JaponicusÓ). They have the ability to eviscerate their internal organs to escape predators and then regenerate the missing body parts.
To evade predators, Apostichopus japonicasÕ expels its internal organs through the wall and anal opening except for the cloaca, pharynx, and esophagus (Odintsova et al.). Two rudiments, which are undeveloped or immature part or organ that can develop into an organ or limb, develop from the esophagus and cloaca (Odintsova et al.). The peritoneal, myoepithelial, and nerve cells in the esophagus and cloaca undergo dedifferentiation and then proliferate into more cells that are similar to stem cells. These cells migrate and re-differentiate into cells that will make up the two rudiments and the organs that were lost. As the rudiments grow they fuse together to form a single rudiment that will connect and form the continuous digestive system.
“Apostichopus Japonicus.” Apostichopus Japonicus (Japanese Spiky Sea Cucumber). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Mar. 2014. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/180424/0
Odintsova, N. A., I. Yu Dolmatov, and V. S. Mashanov. “Regenerating Holothurian Tissues as a Source of Cells for Long-term Cell Cultures.” Marine Biology 146 (2005): 915-21. Academia.edu. Web. 23 Nov. 2014.
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