Regionalization of cell types in silk glands of Larinioides sclopetarius suggest that spider silk fibers are complex layered structures.

ABSTRACT: In order to produce artificial silk fibers with properties that match the native spider silk we likely need to closely mimic the spinning process as well as fiber architecture and composition. To increase our understanding of the structure and function of the different silk glands of the orb weaver Larinioides sclopetarius, we used resin sections for detailed morphology, paraffin embedded sections for a variety of different histological stainings, and a histochemical method for localization of carbonic anhydrase activity. Our results show that all silk glands, except the tubuliform glands, are composed of two or more columnar epithelial cell types, some of which have not been described previously. We observed distinct regionalization of the cell types indicating sequential addition of secr

SUBMITTER: Sonavane S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10721825 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature