Reversible Underwater Adhesion: The Unique C-shaped Suckers of Net-winged Midge Larvae (Blepharicera sp.).

Scientific Reports
Guan-Lin LiuPo-Yu Chen

Abstract

Aquatic insects living in fast-flowing streams have developed various types of attachment systems to resist being carried away by strong currents. Combinations of various attachment devices offer aquatic insects advantages in underwater adhesion on substrates with different surface properties. In this study, the net-winged midge (Blepharicera sp.) larvae were investigated to understand micro-/nano-structural attachment mechanisms. The hierarchical structure of insect adhesive surfaces was characterized using Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Centrifugal measurements were also conducted to measure the critical rotational velocity at which the larvae of Blepharicera sp. can adhere to substrates with varying roughness. Commercial suckers require smooth substrate surface to maintain a pressure that is lower than the surrounding pressure for adhesion under the sucker cup while the suckers of net-winged midge larvae possess hierarchical micro-/nano-structures, which attach closely to rough surfaces underwater. Furthermore, the functions of microstructures observed on the sucker, including wrinkled surface, inward setae, outer fibers, and nick were explored and may ...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1977·The Journal of Investigative Dermatology·K R HighleyL J Wolfram
Nov 2, 2005·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Gerrit HuberEduard Arzt
Dec 1, 2002·Integrative and Comparative Biology·William M Kier, Andrew M Smith
Feb 12, 2015·Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology·Petra Ditsche, Adam P Summers
Feb 6, 2017·Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials·Yung-Chieh ChuangPo-Yu Chen
Apr 1, 1990·The Biological Bulletin·W M Kier, A M Smith

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
Transmission Electron Microscopy
profiler

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Adhesion Molecules in Health and Disease

Cell adhesion molecules are a subset of cell adhesion proteins located on the cell surface involved in binding with other cells or with the extracellular matrix in the process called cell adhesion. In essence, cell adhesion molecules help cells stick to each other and to their surroundings. Cell adhesion is a crucial component in maintaining tissue structure and function. Discover the latest research on adhesion molecule and their role in health and disease here.