Recent Articles in English

Recent Articles in English

Motokawa T (2019)

Skin of sea cucumbers: the smart connective tissue that alters mechanical properties in response to external stimuli.
J. Aero Aqua Bio-mechanism. 8(1):2-5, https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jabmech/8/1/8_2/_article/-char/en

Yoshimura K, Tsurimaki H, Motokawa T (2018)

Memory of direction of locomotion in sea urchins: effects of nerves on direction and activity of tube feet.
Mar. Biol. 165:84, doi: 10.1007/s00227-018-3342-y

Tamori M, Koki J, Motokawa T (2018)

Pedicellaria of flower sea urchin: SEM observation in ionic liquid that led to discovery of dumbbell-shaped ossicles.
Zool. Sci.35:1-7

Tamori M, Ishida K, Matsuura E, Ogasawara K, Hanasaka T, Takehana Y, Motokawa T, Osawa T. (2016)

Ultrastructural changes associated with reversible stiffening in catch connective tissue of sea cucumbers.
PLoS ONE 11(5): e0155673. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0155673.

Motokawa T. (2016) Connective tissue that changes stiffness under nervous control.

Atlas of Science (web site to publish abstracts of research articles to highlight research for layman) http://atlasofscience.org/connective-tissue-that-changes-stiffness-under-nervous-control/

Motokawa T. and Fuchigami, Y. (2015)

Coordination between catch connective tissue and muscles through nerves in the spine joint of the sea urchin Diadema setosum.
J. Exp. Biol., 218:703-710. This paper was featured in "Inside JEB" (J. Exp. Biol., 218:648).

Takehana, Y., Yamada, A., Tamori, M. and Motokawa (2014)

Softenin, a novel protein that softens the connective tissue of sea cucumbers through inhibiting interaction between collagen fibrils.
PLoS ONE, 9:e85644.

Motokawa, T., Sato, E. and Umeyama, K, (2012)

Energy expenditure associated with softening and stiffening of echinoderm connective tissue.
Biol. Bull 222:150-157.

Yoshimura, K.,Iketani, T. and Motokawa, T. (2012)

Do regular sea urchins show preference in which part of the body they orient forward in their walk?
Marine Biol. 159:959-965.

Motokawa T. (2011)

Mechanical mutability in connective tissue of starfish body wall.
Biol. Bull. 221: 280-289.

Yamada, A., Tamori, M., Iketani, T., Oiwa K. and Motokawa T. (2010)

A novel stiffening factor inducing the stiffest state of holothurian catch connective tissue.
J. Exp. Biology, 213:3416-3422.

Yoshimura, K. and Motokawa, T. (2010)

Bilaterality in the regular sea urchin Anthocidaris crassispina is related to efficient defense not to efficient locomotion. Marine Biology, 157：2475-2488.

Tamori, M., Takemae, C. and Motokawa, T. (2010)

Evidence that water exudes when holothurian connective tissue stiffens. J. Exp. Biol, 213:1960-1966.

Obuchi, M., Fujita, Y., Nakano, Y., Tsuyoshi Uehara, T. and Motokawa, T. (2010)

Reproductive biology and early life history of the hermaphroditic feather star Dorometra sesokonis (Echinodermata: Crinoidea) Marine Biology, 157:1191-1201.

Takemae, N., Nakaya, F., and Motokawa T.(2009)

Low oxygen consumption and high body content of catch connective tissue in body contribute to low metabolic rate of sea cucumbers. Biol. Bull. 216:45-54.

Yoshimura, K. and Motokawa T.(2008)

Bilateral symmetry and locomotion: do elliptical regular sea urchins proceed along their longer body axis? Marine Biology, 154:911-918.

Okubo, N. and Motokawa T.(2007)

Embryogenesis in the reef-building coral Acropora spp. Zoological Science. 24:1169-1177.

Tamori, M. Saha, A.K. Matsuno, A. Noskor, S.C., Koizumi, O., Kobayakawa, Y., Nakajima, Y, and Motokawa, T.(2007)

Stichopin-containing nerves and secretory cells specific to connective tissue of the sea cucumber.
Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 274:2279-2285.

Okubo, N., Isomura, N., Motokawa T., and Hidaka M.(2007)

Possible self-fertilization in the brooding coral Acropora (Isopora) bruegemanni. Zoological Science 24:277-280.

Okubo, N., Motokawa T., and Omori M. (2007)

When fragmented coral spawn? Effect of size and timing of coral fragmentation in Acropora formosa on survivorship and fecundity. Marine Biology, 151:353-363.

Tamori, M, Yamada, A. Nishida, N. Motobayashi, Y. Oiwa K. and Motokawa T. (2006)

Tensilin, a stiffening protein from holothurian dermis, does not induce the stiffest state of catch connective tissue.
J. Exp. Biology 209: 1594-1602.

Saha, A.K., Tamori, M., Inoue, M., Nakajima, Y., and Motokawa, T. (2006)

NGIWYamide induced contraction of tube feet and distribution of NGIWYamide-like immunoreactivity in nerves of the starfish Asterina pectinifera. Zool. Sci.13:627-632.

Takemae, N. & Motokawa, T. (2005)

Mechanical properties of the isolated catch apparatus of the sea-urchin spine joint: muscle fibres do not contribute to passive stiffness changes. Biol. Bull. 208:29-35.

Nakaya, F., Saito, Y. & Motokawa, T.(2005)

Experimental allometry: effect of size manipulation on metabolic rate of colonial ascidians. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B, 272:1963-1969.

Okubo, N, Taniguchi, H. & Motokawa, T. (2005)

Successful methods for transplanting fragments of Acropora formosa and Acropora hyacinthus. Coral Reefs, 24：333-342.

Motokawa, T, Shintani, O. & Birenheide, R. (2004)

Contraction and stiffness changes in collagenous arm ligaments of he stalked crinoid Metacrinus roundus (Echinodermata) Biol. Bull.206: 4-12.

Motokawa, T & Tsuchi, A. (2003)

Dynamic mechanical properties of body-wall dermis in various mechanical states and their implications on behavior of sea cucumbers. Biol. Bull.205: 261-275.

Nakaya, F., Saito, Y. & Motokawa, T.(2003)

Switching of metabolic-rate scaling between allometry and isometry in colonial ascidians. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B, 270: 1105-1113.