Sticky Situations and Clinging Conundrums: Form and Function of Animal Attachment Systems

Sticky Situations and Clinging Conundrums: Form and Function of Animal Attachment Systems

Austin M. Garner, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Department of Biology & BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University

Abstract Numerous organisms possess the ability to reversibly attach to surfaces, employing a variety of morphological and physical mechanisms to achieve this. These phenomena have fascinated biologists and engineers alike, resulting in an abundance of inter- and transdisciplinary studies of their form and function. In my research group, we study the interactions between form, function, and environment in three different animal attachment systems: geckos, anoles, and sea urchins. Geckos are arguably one of the most comprehensively studied organismal attachment systems whereby adhesion is effected through arrays of hair-like fibers (setae) that subdivide into nanoscopic triangular-shaped tips (spatulae) that induce intermolecular interactions with the substrate. Anoles are another group of lizards that reversibly attach to surfaces using similar physical mechanisms as geckos, yet simpler microstructural morphology. Sea urchins use hundreds of soft, extensible tube-like structures (tube feet) that secrete an otherwise permanent adhesive to effect reversible attachment and locomotion. In this seminar, I will present results from three different studies focused on each of our model study organisms. The first study examines the individual and interactive effects of substrate flexibility (compliance) and diameter on gecko locomotor performance. The second study investigates the setal morphology of anoles that exploit different habitats to examine whether setal morphology explains previously observed variation in adhesive performance with habitat use. I will finish the seminar with a discussion of our study examining the effect of hyposalinity on the adhesion and mechanical properties of sea urchin tube feet and whether repeated exposure to hyposaline conditions results in acclimation of tube feet performance and properties. Collectively, these studies provide an overview of the various research topics we are pursuing here at Syracuse University within the Department of Biology and BioInspired Institute.