Sandcastle Worm's Building Organ (IMAGE)

University of Utah

Sandcastle Worm's Building Organ

Caption

This electron microscope image shows the top part of a sea-dwelling sandcastle worm, Phragmatopoma californica. Living in sloshing intertidal waters, the worm uses its numerous tentacles (upper left) to grab small bits of shell and sand. Tiny hair-like cilia (not visible) move the bits to the pincer-shaped building organ (center). The worm then uses its building organ to build a tube-shaped home around itself by secreting natural glue to cement the sand and shell pieces. University of Utah bioengineers have developed a synthetic version of the worm's glue for possible future use in pasting together shattered bone fragments in the human face and joints like the knees.

Credit

Russell Stewart, University of Utah.

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