Hierarchical architecture of spider attachment setae reconstructed from scanning nanofocus X-ray diffraction data.

ABSTRACT: When sitting and walking, the feet of wandering spiders reversibly attach to many surfaces without the use of gluey secretions. Responsible for the spiders' dry adhesion are the hairy attachment pads that are built of specially shaped cuticular hairs (setae) equipped with approximately 1 µm wide and 20 nm thick plate-like contact elements (spatulae) facing the substrate. Using synchrotron-based scanning nanofocus X-ray diffraction methods, combining wide-angle X-ray diffraction/scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering, allowed substantial quantitative information to be gained about the structure and materials of these fibrous adhesive structures with 200 nm resolution. The fibre diffraction patterns showed the crystalline chitin chains oriented along the long axis of the attachment seta

SUBMITTER: Schaber CF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6364634 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature