Handling, Reproducing and Cryopreserving Five European Sea Urchins (Echinodermata, Klein, 1778) for Biodiversity Conservation Purposes.

In this work, five local sea urchin species found in European waters were studied. Four were regular species: , , (Linnaeus, 1758) and the edible sea urchin ; and one was an irregular species, . These five species of sea urchins have been studied regarding their fertility, toxicity of cryoprotecting agents, cryopreservation of different cell types and chilling injury.