Organic membranes determine the pattern of the columnar prismatic layer of mollusc shells.

ABSTRACT: The degree to which biological control is exercised compared to physical control of the organization of biogenic materials is a central theme in biomineralization. We show that the outlines of biogenic calcite domains with organic membranes are always of simple geometries, while without they are much more complex. Moreover, the mineral prisms enclosed within the organic membranes are frequently polycrystalline. In the prismatic layer of the mollusc shell, organic membranes display a dynamics in accordance with the von Neumann-Mullins and Lewis Laws for two-dimensional foam, emulsion and grain growth. Taken together with the facts that we found instances in which the crystals do not obey such laws, and that the same organic membrane pattern can be found even without the mineral infilling, o

SUBMITTER: Checa AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4874705 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature