Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
12
Biomimetic Materials as Potential Medical
Adhesives - Composition and Adhesive
Properties of the Material Coating the Cuvierian
Tubules Expelled by
Holothuria dofleinii
1
Yong Y. Peng
1
, Veronica Glattauer
1
, Timothy D. Skewes
2
,
Jacinta F. White
1
, Kate M. Nairn
1
, Andrew N. McDevitt
3
,
Christopher M. Elvin
3
, Jerome A. Werkmeister
1
,
Lloyd D. Graham
4
and John A.M. Ramshaw
1
1. Introduction
Novel, distinct adhesive systems have been described for a wide range of marine species
(Kamino, 2008). These highly effective, natural materials provide a link between biological
science and material science, and can serve as models on which new, bioinspired synthetic
materials could be based. These various adhesive systems have developed independently,
on many occasions, and provide a wide range of opportunities for the development of new,
biologically-inspired adhesives. The natural adhesives include, for example, the marine
mussel (
Mytilus sp.
) (Lin et al., 2007), barnacle (Nakano et al., 2007) and stickleback (Jones et
al., 2001) adhesives, which are protein-based, as well as sponge, certain algal and marine
bacterial adhesives (Mancuso-Nichols et al., 2009) that are polysaccharide-based.
In the present paper, we examine the adhesive system found associated with the Cuvierian
tubules of a holothurian species (sea cucumber),
Holothuria dofleinii
. This is an example of
the particularly rapid marine adhesive that is found on the surface of Cuvierian tubules
when they are expelled (DeMoor et al., 2003; Müller et al., 1972; VandenSpiegel & Jangoux,
1987). The unique nature of this natural adhesive system, especially its rapid action under
water, has suggested that if the mechanism can be understood, then it may prove to be
possible to mimic the adhesive through biotechnology and/or synthetic chemistry. An
adhesive that functions readily in an aqueous environment would be particularly valuable,
especially in medical applications, as the majority of existing adhesives bind to dry surfaces
more strongly than the same surfaces when wet.
Cuvierian tubules provide a host defence mechanism for certain species of holothurians
(Lawrence, 2001; VandenSpiegel & Jangoux, 1987). It has long been known that, on
expulsion, the Cuvierian tubules fill with liquid and lengthen, become sticky and rapidly
1
CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering, Bayview Avenue, Clayton, VIC 3169, Australia
2
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Middle Street, Cleveland, QLD 4163, Australia
3
CSIRO Livestock Industries, Carmody Road, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia
4
CSIRO Food and Nutritional Sciences, Julius Ave, North Ryde, NSW 2113 , Australia
1
