How snails engineer their slime
Collagen and calcium work in tandem to achieve varying mechanical properties of different kinds of mucus.
Collagen and calcium work in tandem to achieve varying mechanical properties of different kinds of mucus.
The short version
- Snails are well-known for their mucus.
- The slime is highly valued as an anti-inflammatory and anti-aging ingredient in certain skin care products, and snails can secrete different kinds of mucus with properties tailored to specific functions.
- A team of German scientists has determined a recipe for how snails achieve that so-called tunability: Collagen and calcium work in tandem to achieve the varying mechanical properties, according to a new paper in the journal Science.
What happened
C. nemoralis also secretes two different kinds of protective mucus when disturbed. One is a sticky yellow mucus similar to that produced by certain mollusks that is highly resistant to breakage or tearing.
Why it matters
The other is a bubbly substance scientists believe is secreted to smother small predators and/or wash them out of the shell.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Ars Technica via the links above and below.