The dynamic biointerface between the mussel tissue and the physes plays an important role in rapid release

A team of chemists at McGill University, working with a colleague at Charité-Universitätsmedizin in Germany, has discovered part of the process that mussels use to bind to rocks and quickly release them when conditions demand it.

In their plan, reported In the journal Science, the team studied the interface between mussel tissue and the bundle of fibers they use to anchor themselves to rocks and other materials. A version has been published by Guoqing Pan and Bin Li with Jiangsu University and Suzhou University in China. Overview Essay The same journal issue outlines the team’s work on this new initiative.

Mussels are bivalve molluscs that live in both fresh and salt water environments. They have hinged shells connected by a ligament. Muscles ensure a tight seal when the shell closes. Mussels use fissile threads (commonly called beards) to attach themselves to solid materials such as rocks.

Mussel fissures have been extensively studied due to their unique ability to attach non-living material (thread-forming filaments) to living tissue and sever as needed. But, as Pan and Li point out, much of this research revolves around possible chemical bonding mechanisms. In this new effort, the research team focused on the dynamics of the bio-interface.

To better understand how fissure threads attach to living tissue and how they can be removed if necessary, the research team used a variety of techniques to study the threads and the tissues they attach to. Using several types of imaging combined with spectroscopy, the team observed that the ends of the filaments were interconnected with layers of living tissue, which were covered by approximately 6 billion motile cilia.

They further found that multiple cilia translated into a high degree of surface contact, which allowed the two disparate materials to be mechanically attached. The researchers also noted that the cilia oscillations helped to strengthen the grip between the two objects and allow for quick release when needed. They found that cilia movement is driven by neurotransmitters, which the researchers theorize are ultimately controlled by serotonin and dopamine.