Snails Tweak Slime's Stiffness by Adjusting Collagen and Calcium, Study Finds

A new study published August 6 in the journal Science reveals how land snails manipulate their mucus to serve different purposes. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Germany collected brown-lipped snails (also known as common ribbon or grove snails) during rainy days in Germany and induced them to produce five types of mucus: lubricant, adhesive, foamy, thick yellow, and hardened epiphragms. Analysis showed that while all mucus types share similar proteins, the proportions of collagen VI and calcium vary, affecting the slime's mechanical properties. For instance, lubricant mucus is 0.3 percent protein, whereas the thick defense mucus is about 4 percent protein. Calcium ions interact with proteins to alter density, and calcium carbonate granules stored in the snails' mucus-secreting tissue can be added as needed. The findings could inspire sustainable materials, such as wound-healing adhesives or drug-delivery lubricants. Co-authors Franziska Jehle, Mariella Gabler, and Peter Fratzl emphasize the versatility of collagen and calcium. External experts Victor Ajisafe and Ali Miserez note the broader implications for biomaterials. The study highlights how organisms optimize resources, potentially guiding the production of materials with diverse functions.