July 2, 2014

Squid sucker ring teeth material could aid reconstructive surgery, serve as eco-packaging


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Squid tentacles are loaded with hundreds of suction cups, or suckers, and each sucker has a ring of razor-sharp “teeth” that help these mighty predators latch onto and take down prey. In a study published in the journal ACS Nano, researchers report that the proteins in these teeth could form the basis for a new generation of strong, but malleable, materials that could someday be used for reconstructive surgery, eco-friendly packaging and many other applications.