Abstract
Natural silks are extracellular fibers that are spun by a variety of organisms, for highly specialized applications. Their formation specifically by spinning is the single feature that distinguishes silks from other extracellular fibrous material such as hair or byssus. Spinning entails secretion of material by epithelial cells into the lumen of a gland, where it is stored in readiness for subsequent molding into fiber through an active or passive spinneret. While the majority of silks consist of protein, some examples based on chitin have been identified among cockroaches and praying mantids (Rudall 1962).KeywordsLiquid CrystalSilk FibroinSilk GlandSpider SilkDragline SilkThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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