科研之友
微信
新浪微博
Facebook
分享链接
摘要
Sea urchins are exclusively benthic animals and, thus, their activities and adaptations are correlated with an existence on the ocean bottom. To withstand hydrodynamic forces, sea urchins rely on their adoral tube feet, specialized in locomotion and anchoring. Tube feet consist of a disc, which makes contact with the substratum, and a stem, which connects the disc to the test. Therefore, the tenacity with which an individual can anchor to a surface is determined by the strength of its numerous tube feet which, in turn, depends on the tensile strength of the stem and the adhesive power of the disc. The later is determined by the chemical properties of an adhesive secretion that is able to functionally assemble underwater and displace water, ions, and weakly bound polyions, properties that are rarely achieved by synthetic adhesives. In addition, sea urchins also possess an effective de-adhesive secretion that rapidly releases the tube foot in order to begin a new attachment-detachment cycle. Therefore, understanding the characteristics of this protein/carbohydrate-based adhesive is imperative to decipher sea urchin temporary adhesion and also, to accelerate the development of new biomimetic wet adhesives and antifouling agents. More than 10 years of research combining morphological, biomechanical and proteomics techniques have demonstrated that tube feet are unique mechano-sensory adhesive organs and highlighted putative adhesive proteins, thus constituting a step forward in the quest to decipher sea urchins temporary adhesion.
- 出版日期2013
