A matter of size? Material, structural and mechanical strategies for size adaptation in the elytra of Cetoniinae beetles

Asgari, Meisam; Alderete, Nicolas A.; Lin, Zhaowen; Benavides, R; Espinosa, Horacio D.

doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2020.12.039

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…[ 50 ] Thus, it is advantageous to encompass gradual transitions of material properties to alleviate the mismatch between the properties of dissimilar regions as a natural design motif at such interfaces. [ 51 ] This leads to programmed response of the tissue to internal and external stimuli which prevents organ's failure. Damage of the tissue at the interfaces between layers in the case of aortic tissue may cause aneurysm (i.e., segmental weakening of the aorta) or acute aortic dissection that could be fatal.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[49] Functional gradients featuring in the microstructure of biological materials such as biological tissues and organs have exceptional implications on the resistance of such materials to failure and rupture in response to large deformations or mechanical loads. [49,51] One of the main sources of such properties is the gradual change in the mechanical properties within each biological organ as well as between the adjacent constituting parts of that organ. [52,53] The existence of such gradients within the microstructure of biological tissues may originate from several sources such as the orientation and alignment of microstructural elements of the tissue (i.e., collagen, elastin, and gags) and their density and the degree of their crosslinking, as well as the chemical components of the material.…”

Section: Gradients At Interfacesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[52,53] At the interfaces between dissimilar regions or layers of the same organ, the main role of these functional gradients, particularly the gradients in the change of mechanical properties, is to smoothen the innate mismatch between material properties at the two regions, precluding failure or rupture of the organ at those interfaces. [51] Structural functional gradients in a layered tissue can be described in terms of spatial changes in ECM ingredients (stiff elements such as collagen fibers and elastic elements such as elastin) and their arrangement across the entire tissue or within a certain zone such as the interface regions [50] where dissimilar layers meet. Such regions denote the extremes in property changes.…”

Section: Gradients At Interfacesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Revealing Layer‐Specific Ultrastructure and Nanomechanics of Fibrillar Collagen in Human Aorta via Atomic Force Microscopy Testing: Implications on Tissue Mechanics at Macroscopic Scale

Asgari

Latifi

Giovanniello

et al. 2022

Advanced NanoBiomed Research

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Soft biological tissues are natural biomaterials with structures that have evolved to perform physiological functions, for example, conferring elasticity while preserving the mechanical integrity of arteries. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the tissue extracellular matrix (ECM) significantly affect cell behavior and organ function. ECM mechanical properties are strongly affected by collagen ultrastructure, and perturbations in collagen networks can cause tissue mechanical failure. It is thus crucial to understand the ultrastructural mechanical properties of soft tissues. Herein, the ultrastructural and nanomechanical properties of arterial tissues are reported. Specifically, maps of aorta tissue stiffness in its three constitutive layers, namely tunica intima, media, and adventitia, are reported. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) with large and ultrasharp tips is used to explore tissue stiffness at two scales. Quasistatic tensile tests are further conducted to understand a potential correspondence between small‐scale mechanical properties obtained via AFM indentation and macroscopic behavior of the tissue at low and large strains. Furthermore, gradients in stiffness across the various layers as well as deformation rate effects are investigated. It is envisioned that the established methodology serves as a tool to investigate the effect of ECM remodeling associated with vascular diseases such as aneurysms and arterial stiffening linked to hypertension.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Gradients At Interfacesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Gradients At Interfacesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Revealing Layer‐Specific Ultrastructure and Nanomechanics of Fibrillar Collagen in Human Aorta via Atomic Force Microscopy Testing: Implications on Tissue Mechanics at Macroscopic Scale

Asgari

Latifi

Giovanniello

et al. 2022

Advanced NanoBiomed Research

Self Cite

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“…It prevents water from evaporating and shields the insect body from mechanical stresses. It is known that it contains proteins, chitin, and aliphatic compounds [ 20 , 21 , 22 ]. In order to have an idea of the chemical composition of the elytra surface of the studied Sonoran beetles, we performed Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) experiments.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microstructure and Hydrophobicity of the External Surface of a Sonoran Desert Beetle

et al. 2022

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We have studied the external surface (elytra) of the Sonoran Desert beetle (Eleodes eschscholtzii). Our aim was to assess whether this species has similar traits to some beetles from the Namibian Desert that are known to have hierarchical micropatterns that allow for water harvesting. We have conducted scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and apparent contact angle experiments on specimens collected at two sampling sites with different ambient humidity. The results show that the beetle’s external surface microstructure is composed of a compact array of polygons with randomly scattered protuberances. The density of the polygons in the microstructure is different for individuals collected in different sites: the polygon array is denser in the more humid site and less dense in the drier site. The measured contact angles also depend on the sampling site. For individuals collected in the drier site, the average apparent contact angle is 70°, whereas for the more humid site, the average apparent contact angle is 92°. FT-IR experiments are consistent with the presence of hydrophobic wax compounds in the studied surfaces. Our investigation opens new questions that are currently being addressed by experiments that are underway. For instance, it would be interesting to know whether the observed nanopatterns could be used in biomimetic devices for water harvesting purposes.

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“…Previous examinations of beetle elytra have provided insight into mechanical properties and microstructural features that serve as an inspiration for engineering structures. [ 2,13,14 ] However, most of these studies focus on the structure–function relationships of elytra from beetles that are capable of flight, [ 15–18 ] with limited analyses of other beetles. [ 15,19,20 ] Although there are a few studies providing insight into microstructural variations of beetle elytra, a subsequent examination of their mechanical response is lacking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural Design Variations in Beetle Elytra

Rivera

Murata

Hosseini

et al. 2021

Adv Funct Materials

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Beetles typically use their protective wing coverings or elytra to shield their membranous hindwings from the environment. Elytra in some terrestrial species have evolved a greater protective role capable of shielding the organism from powerful antagonistic predators. The structure-function relationships of these biological composites identify how architectural and chemical variations of the cuticle are tuned to create light-weight, impact resistant composites. Specifically, the elytral structures of a tree dwelling beetle capable of flight, Trypoxylus dichotomus, and a terrestrial beetle incapable of flight, Phloeodes diabolicus, are compared to understand how their varied environmental needs forged the elytra to facilitate fight or resist fatal predator strikes. Mechanical and microstructural analysis reveals P. diabolicus has a harder, stiffer elytra that incorporate through-thickness fibers to resist greater mechanical stresses imposed by bending and puncture. Conversely, the elytra of T. dichotomus have a compliant structure with large voids that facilitates localized deformation. Variations in flexural strength and puncture resistance remain attributed to P. diabolicus possessing a thicker cuticle with a greater degree of cross-linking and an increased amount of endocuticular layers. These findings may provide useful insight into the design and manufacturing of composite materials for use in light-weight or energy-absorbing applications.

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A matter of size? Material, structural and mechanical strategies for size adaptation in the elytra of Cetoniinae beetles

Cited by 20 publications

References 27 publications

Revealing Layer‐Specific Ultrastructure and Nanomechanics of Fibrillar Collagen in Human Aorta via Atomic Force Microscopy Testing: Implications on Tissue Mechanics at Macroscopic Scale

Revealing Layer‐Specific Ultrastructure and Nanomechanics of Fibrillar Collagen in Human Aorta via Atomic Force Microscopy Testing: Implications on Tissue Mechanics at Macroscopic Scale

Microstructure and Hydrophobicity of the External Surface of a Sonoran Desert Beetle

Structural Design Variations in Beetle Elytra

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