Natures wonders: biomimetics; Mussel glue (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, July 21, 2015, 19:44 (3411 days ago) @ David Turell

A glue that holds and heals without scarring. A great surgical advance:-http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150721111211.htm-"Inspired by nature's wonders, Korean scientists have developed new mussel-protein based adhesive hydrogel that is activated via a photochemical reaction when applied blue visible light. The innovative surgical protein glue, called LAMBA, not only closes an open wound on a wet bleeding site within less than 60 seconds but also effectively facilitates the healing process without inflammation or a scar. LAMBA's outstanding qualities such as compatibility with the human body, strong adhesiveness in wet conditions, and convenient handling point to the possibility of myriad medical applications including sutureless wound closures of delicate organs or tissues beyond surgeons' reach.-"The new product LAMBA, a focus of their recent publication in Biomaterials, is an upgrade version of previously known mussel-inspired adhesives that copy mussels' ability to fix their body under water. Instead of producing recombinant mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs) by modifying DOPA, a key element for the adhesive property, E.Y. Jeon et al., have created the new tissue adhesive via a photochemical reaction using blue visible light.-"E.Y. Jeon et al gained the idea for this more economic, facile, and reliable strategy from dityrosine crosslinks that are often found in dragonfly wings and insect cuticles. When visible light triggers a photo-oxidation reaction in MAPs plentiful of tyrosine, neighboring tyrosine residues are instantly coupled into dityrosine crosslinks, which in turn enhance structural stability and adhesive properties of the new MAPs in the form of hydrogel."