Structural design of the echinoid's trabecular system

PLoS One. 2018 Sep 27;13(9):e0204432. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204432. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

The multi-plated skeleton of echinoids is made of the stereom, a light-weight construction which resembles a micro-beam framework. Although the two-dimensional design of the stereom has been studied, its spatial architecture is only little known. It is, however, imperative to understand the spatial architecture of the trabecular system in order to interpret its structural principles of this load-bearing construction. The echinoid's trabecular system is thus analyzed in-depth with respect to eight topological descriptors. The echinoid's plates are divided into two regions, the center of which consists of an unordered stereom, and the margin which consists of an ordered stereom. The eight trabecular descriptors indicate that the basal topology of the two plate regions are similar. The trabecular system predominantly consists of short and stocky trabeculae that show little tortuosity. The majority of trabeculae intersect in a 3N configuration, where three trabeculae intersect in one common node. Trabeculae in the 3N configuration intersect in an angle of around 120° resulting in a planar and triangular motif. These planar elements, when arranged in an angular off-set, can resist multi-dimensional loads. Results also show that the trabecular orientation perpendicular to the plate's surface is at an angle of 60°. The trabecular orientation in the plate's horizontal plane is directional. Both trabecular orientations reflect a construction which is capable of resisting applied loads and can distribute these loads over the entire skeleton. The spatial architecture of the echinoid's trabecular system is thus considered to be a performative light-weight and load-bearing system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Structures / anatomy & histology*
  • Animals
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Models, Biological
  • Sea Urchins / anatomy & histology*
  • X-Ray Microtomography

Associated data

  • Dryad/10.5061/dryad.rg54h

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) within the Collaborative Research Centre SFB/Transregio 141: Biological Design and Integrative Structures. Open Access publication was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Open Access Publishing Fund of the University of Tübingen.