National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Monday, November 23, 2009

Photo: Mussels' Mighty Grip Inspires Dopamine-Based Glue


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A mussel clings fast to a sheet of Teflon. The mollusk's famous sticking power comes from a mixture of proteins, including some that resemble the brain chemical dopamine.

Inspired by the mussel, researchers have found a way to alter dopamine molecules to create a sticky coating that clings to just about any surface.

Photograph courtesy Haeshin Lee and Phillip Messersmith, Northwestern University