Underwater silk adhesive might close wounds

March 02, 2010 11:16 am | Updated 11:16 am IST - Washington

Like silkworm moths, butterflies and spiders, caddisfly larvae spin silk, but they do so underwater. Now scientists are trying to make a wet adhesive out of it to close wounds. File Photo: AP

Like silkworm moths, butterflies and spiders, caddisfly larvae spin silk, but they do so underwater. Now scientists are trying to make a wet adhesive out of it to close wounds. File Photo: AP

Like silkworm moths, butterflies and spiders, caddisfly larvae spin silk, but they do so underwater. Now scientists are trying to make a wet adhesive out of it to close wounds.

University of Utah (U-U) researchers have discovered why the fly’s silk is sticky when wet and how that may make it valuable as an adhesive tape during surgery.

“Silk from caddisfly larvae -- known to western fly fishermen as ‘rock rollers’ -- may be useful some day as a medical bioadhesive for sticking to wet tissues,” says Russell Stewart, U-U associate professor of bioengineering.

“I picture it as sort of a wet Band-Aid, maybe used internally in surgery -- like using a piece of tape to close an incision as opposed to sutures,” he adds.

“Gluing things together underwater is not easy. Have you ever tried to put a Band-Aid on in the shower? This insect has been doing this for 150 million to 200 million years,” Stewart adds.

The study is set for publication this week in Biomacromolecules, a journal of the American Chemical Society.

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