Fig. 3: Cuticle formation in the mussel foot groove via coalescence of cuticle secretory vesicle contents. | Nature Communications

Fig. 3: Cuticle formation in the mussel foot groove via coalescence of cuticle secretory vesicle contents.

From: Hierarchically-structured metalloprotein composite coatings biofabricated from co-existing condensed liquid phases

Fig. 3

a Schematic overview of transverse section of mussel foot tissue showing anatomy of byssal glands. Cuticle secretory vesicles (in red) are lined up at the edge of the cuticle gland, ready to be secreted into the groove, aided by cilia. During cuticle assembly, the secretory vesicle contents cluster and coalesce into the groove spreading over the formed core surface. b TEM image from a stained section of an induced foot in the region indicated in a, showing coalesced cuticle secretory vesicles about to be released into the groove. Notably, the proto-matrix (pm) of several vesicles merges to form a continuous matrix, while the proto-granules (pg) retain their brain-like structure. Scale bar = 500 nm. c TEM image from stained section of an induced foot in the region indicated in a, showing a formed induced thread with intact cuticle. Scale bar = 500 nm. d Magnified region from c showing details of the induced cuticle including granule and matrix. Scale bar = 200 nm.

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