Comparative studies on the structure and adhesion of setae in G. gecko and G. swinhonis  

作　　者：GUO Ce1, WANG WenBo1, YU Min1, DAI ZhenDong1 & SUN JiuRong2 1 Institute of Bio-inspired Structure and Surface Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China 2 College of Life Science, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China 

出　　处：《Science China(Life Sciences)》2007年第6期831-838,共8页中国科学（生命科学英文版）

基　　金：Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 30400086, 30470230, 30770285 and 60535020)

摘　　要：Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histological techniques were used to observe and study the setae structures of two gecko species (G. gecko and G. swinhonis) and the relationships between these structures and the adhesive forces. The SEM results showed that the setae of these two species were densely distributed in an orderly fashion, and branched with curved tips. The setae of G. gecko had cluster structures, each cluster containing 4-6 setae whose terminal branches curved towards the center of the toes at ~ 10o, the tips of the branches like spatulae and densely arrayed at an interval of less than 0.2―0.3 μm. On the contrary, the branch tips in the setae of G. swinhonis were curled, and the terminal parts of setae curved towards the center of the toes at various angles. Usually the setae of these gecko species branch twice at the top at intervals greater than that of G. gecko. The histological observation found that inside the setae of these two species there were plenty of unevenly distributed contents, such as epithelia, fat cells, pigmental cells and muscle tissue, but no gland cells existed. The results of functional experiments suggested that modifying the structure of gecko’s setae could reduce its adhesive ability dramatically, demonstrating the positive correlation between the structure of the gecko’s setae and its adhesive ability. The above results provide important information in designing bio-mimic setae and bio-gecko robots.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histological techniques were used to observe and study the setae structures of two gecko species (G. gecko and G. swinhonis) and the relationships between these structures and the adhesive forces. The SEM results showed that the setae of these two species were densely distributed in an orderly fashion, and branched with curved tips. The setae of G. gecko had cluster structures, each cluster containing 4-6 setae whose terminal branches curved towards the center of the toes at ～ 10(°-), the tips of the branches like spatulae and densely arrayed at an interval of less than 0.2-0.3 μm. On the contrary, the branch tips in the setae of G. swinhonis were curled, and the terminal parts of setae curved towards the center of the toes at various angles. Usually the setae of these gecko species branch twice at the top at intervals greater than that of G. gecko. The histological observation found that inside the setae of these two species there were plenty of unevenly distributed contents, such as epithelia, fat cells, pigmental cells and muscle tissue, but no gland cells existed. The results of functional experiments suggested that modifying the structure of gecko's setae could reduce its adhesive ability dramatically, demonstrating the positive correlation between the structure of the gecko's setae and its adhesive ability. The above results provide important information in designing bio-mimic setae and bio-gecko robots.

关 键 词：G. gecko  G. swinhonis  setae  microstructure  adhesion  BIONICS 

分 类 号：TP242[自动化与计算机技术—检测技术与自动化装置]