According to a recent study, slimy mucus secreted by Slugs has inspired a new kind of adhesive that could contribute in the medical field. These slugs are called “Dusky Arion," and they create sticky mucus as a defense against predators. According to the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, these creatures can have different shades of color ranging from orange and brown to black.
Features of ‘Dusky Arion’
According to experts, these slugs are hermaphrodites and can self-fertilize. Moreover, this decaying and green-feeding slug secretes and produces defensive mucus that can adhere to wet and dry surfaces.
In an experiment conducted by Harvard University medical students, the mucus from these slugs was used to seal a hole in a pig's heart. Many researchers call this slug a “bio glue” since it can seal a hole in torn tissue. Many are saying that the time will come when this “bio glue” will be in demand, especially in the medical field.
Slugs as ‘medical glue’
Pertaining to the medical glue, researcher Dr. Jianyu Li said, "we engineered our material to take on the key features of slug mucus and the result is really positive." (BBC). Furthermore, it was explained that the newly created bio-glue has two functions; first, it acts as an actual adhesive, and second, it acts as a biochemical "shock absorber" that absorbs any physical stress in order for the adhesion to be protected.
Furthermore, Dr. Li said that the effectiveness of the bio-glue, when used in sealing tissue will depend on the interaction between the positively charged glue and negatively charged cells in the body.
In addition, experts published a study saying that the newly created adhesive chemical is not poisonous and is safe for varied ages.
According to the published research, this “medical glue” is three times stronger than other medical adhesive material and can become stronger as time goes by. Within an hour of application, the glue becomes stronger, similar to human cartilage. However, due to its flexibility, the application varies.
The glue can act as a barrier for open wounds, and can be injected into a deep wound to facilitate healing.
This bio-glue is very cheap to make and is biodegradable -- it will disappear as the body heals. Still, this adhesive is in the early stages of testing. Many experts also opposed this study since it was conducted on rats and pigs, and has not been tested on humans yet.
