Barnacle Underwater Attachment

Abstract

The barnacle, infraclass Cirripedia, is the only sessile crustacean. The adult firmly attaches its base to a foreign surface in the water via an underwater adhesive called cement. The multi-protein complex handles the multifunctionality of this underwater attachment, which is based on a different design from those of man-made adhesives in chemistry, structures, processing, and physics. The chemical structures and chemistry are actually substantially different from those of two other models, mussel byssus and tube-dwelling worm cement. In particular, barnacle adhesion is a physiological complex of events involved with molting, epicuticular membrane development, calcification of the shell, and secretion of the underwater adhesive. Thus, the molecular mechanism of the adhesion should be a result balanced on the complex physiology of the animal. This chapter summarizes barnacle underwater attachment and the adhesive. Perspectives in material science are also discussed.