Lizard lung in development (IMAGE)
Caption
The lizard lung forms quickly by a leveraging simple mechanical process the researchers likened to a mesh stress ball, the common toy. As fluid fills the developing lung, the inner membrane pushes out against smooth muscle tissue. The muscle separates into a honeycomb-shaped mesh and the membrane bulges out through the gaps, creating the surface area needed for gas exchange.
Credit
Image courtesy Celeste Nelson and Michael Palmer
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