3D printing is not a human invention. This is a shocking revelation that emerges from the study published Nature Communications. by a team led by Florian Raible: the sea worms Platynereis dumerilii produce natural chitin to build their bristles layer by layer, just like a 3D printer would. An elegant and extremely precise process, with details in the order of micrometers. This discovery not only sheds new light on a species considered a “living fossil”, but opens up fascinating scenarios for the development of new biomaterials and medical applications.
Piece by piece
It fascinates me how nature developed such sophisticated production methods, millions of years before we humans “invented” them. The specialized cells of worms are the real protagonists of this process. They produce natural chitin through elongated surface structures called microvilli, which work in a way surprisingly similar to the nozzles of a 3D printer.
"The process begins with the tip of the bristle, followed by the middle section, and finally the base. The finished parts are pushed further and further out of the body. In this development process, the important functional units are created one after the other, piece by piece," he explained. Raible.
The precision of this biological mechanism is incredible: Microvilli change shape and number over time, precisely sculpting complex geometric structures, such as the individual teeth at the tip of a bristle, with submicron precision.
Natural Chitin: Versatile and Adaptable
Another extraordinary aspect of the natural chitin produced by these marine annelids is its versatility. In just two days, these structures go from initial formation to full maturity, ready to assist the worm in its aquatic life. The bristles can also assume different shapes and lengths depending on the needs of the worm and the environmental conditions. They can become shorter or longer, more pointed or flatter, adapting perfectly to the context in which the organism finds itself living.
To understand this fascinating biological process, researchers had to resort to cutting-edge imaging techniques. They created detailed 3D models using the Serial block scanning electron microscopy, providing unprecedented insight into this biological process. The precise change in the number and shape of these microvilli over time is then key to modeling the geometric structures of individual bristles, with astonishing precision.
Future applications of natural chitin
This discovery is not only interesting from a biological point of view, but could have important practical implications. Understanding this biological process could lead to the development of new medical products and naturally degradable materials.
Squid chitin, for example, is already used as a “raw material for the production of particularly well-tolerated wound dressings”. Who knows what other applications could emerge from a deeper understanding of these natural processes of natural chitin formation. Once again, Maestra Biomimicry, we bow to you.
