Micro-computerized tomographic observation of the spinning apparatus in Bombyx mori silkworms

Autor:	Tetsuo Asakura, Kosuke Ohgo, Yuichi Masubuchi, Motoaki Moriya, David P. Knight
Rok vydání:	2008
Předmět:	Materials science Polymers and Plastics biology Polymer science Organic Chemistry Bombyx mori silkworm Nanotechnology biology.organism_classification Micro-computerized tomography Structure and function Bombycidae SILK Bombyx mori X-ray radioscopy Materials Chemistry Spinning
Zdroj:	Polymer. 49:5665-5669
ISSN:	0032-3861
DOI:	10.1016/j.polymer.2008.10.024
Popis:	Silkworms and spiders have evolved complex spinning apparatus thought to use highly controlled conditions to optimize protein folding and crystallization to provide a tough fiber. Accordingly, the structure and function of the natural spinning apparatus has been studied with great attention as an interesting piece of biological engineering with potential for mimicry in an industrial process. However it is still not well understood. Here we used Micro-Computerized Tomographic equipment (mCT) to visualize the three-dimensional structure of the spinning apparatus in Bombyx mori silkworms. Multidirectional tomograms obtained by X-ray radioscopy provided valuable information on the detailed arrangement of each muscle of the silk press. It is suggested that the duct in the silk press part plays a part as an extrusion die whose cross-sectional area can be controlled by muscles to optimize applied stresses in the partially gelled silk within its lumen.
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_dedup___::d2f3add434fad84a3f36b64ddb5e860f https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2008.10.024 Zobrazit plný text záznamu Full Text from ScienceDirect