Scientists find surgery, cancer use for mussels

Boston, Feb 16 (AFP) Mussels secrete a powerful adhesive to hold tight on rocks swept by violent waves -- and a synthetic version could prove critical for surgery and cancer treatment, researchers said. Scientists have created materials that mimic the mussels' sticky proteins and could have medical applications such as sealants for foetal membrane repair, self-setting antibacterial hydrogels and polymers for to deliver cancer drugs and destroy cancer cells. "An inland stream with water moving at only one meter per second is very hard to stand in," said University of Washington, Seattle biologist Emily Carrington yesterday, who studies the tiny mollusks. "Imagine something going 10 times that speed -- over your whole body." That's what mussels withstand -- and more -- as they cling to rocks, grasses and other materials under water. Carrington said water travelling 10 meters per second would be equivalent to winds blowing 965 kilometres per hour. "A couple of them clinging to a rock can support the weight of a fully grown person" said Herbert Waite, a molecular biologist from the University of California. They spoke on the sidelines of the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Boston. The "glue" comes from the mussel's foot, called the byssus, which can cling to almost any surface -- wet, dry, organic or inorganic. Phillip Messersmith, professor of biomedical engineering at Northwestern University, is one of the researchers looking to reproduce the sticking power in a synthetic substance. He and his team have developed a version that is equally water resistant, and could help close internal wounds, among other medical applications. "The repair or reconstruction of tissues in the human body, where water is ubiquitous and its presence represents a challenge for achieving desired outcomes," is an especially compelling potential use for the adhesive, Messersmith said in a statement. For instance, the substance could prove useful in repairing foetal membranes that have prematurely ruptured, a condition that is difficult to treat and can lead to miscarriage, premature births and other serious complications. Messersmith and his team are collaborating with researchers in Europe on clinical trials. (AFP) NKP NKP 02171235 NNNN