On the presence of vitellogenic substances in the starfish,Asterias rubens(L.)

Homogenates of pyloric caeca, gonads, spermatozoa and eggs from the starfishAsterias rubenswere fractionated by gel filtration chromatography. It appeared that a glycolipoprotein fraction, present in oocytes and gonads of female animals, is absent in spermatozoa and gonads of male animals. The possible role in vitellogenesis of this fraction and of a more omnipresent one is discussed.