Morphology and Development of Blue Whale Baleen: An Annotated Translation of Tycho Tullberg's Classic 1883 Paper

Fudge, Douglas S.; Szewciw, Lawrence; Schwalb, Astrid N.

doi:10.1578/am.35.2.2009.226

Cited by 49 publications

(56 citation statements)

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“…Tensile modulus (GPa) Shear modulus (GPa) ferentially around the tubule axis and in layers in the intertubular region [211]. The hierarchical structure of humpback whale baleen is shown in Fig.…”

Section: Relative Humidity (%)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…42c, [215]). The unique defense mechanism lies in that the slime contains mucins (proteins with the ability to form gels) bonded together with keratin threads, which can expand once contact with seawater to become almost three orders of magnitude more dilute than typical mucous secretion, and effectively [211]; (c) hierarchical structure of humpback whale baleen [14].…”

Section: Hagfish Slime Threadsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Keratin: Structure, mechanical properties, occurrence in biological organisms, and efforts at bioinspiration

Wang

Yang

McKittrick

et al. 2016

Progress in Materials Science

681

474

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a b s t r a c tA ubiquitous biological material, keratin represents a group of insoluble, usually high-sulfur content and filament-forming proteins, constituting the bulk of epidermal appendages such as hair, nails, claws, turtle scutes, horns, whale baleen, beaks, and feathers. These keratinous materials are formed by cells filled with keratin and are considered 'dead tissues'. Nevertheless, they are among the toughest biological materials, serving as a wide variety of interesting functions, e.g. scales to armor body, horns to combat aggressors, hagfish slime as defense against predators, nails and claws to increase prehension, hair and fur to protect against the environment. The vivid inspiring examples can offer useful solutions to design new structural and functional materials.Keratins can be classified as a-and b-types. Both show a characteristic filament-matrix structure: 7 nm diameter intermediate filaments for a-keratin, and 3 nm diameter filaments for b-keratin.Both are embedded in an amorphous keratin matrix. The molecular unit of intermediate filaments is a coiled-coil heterodimer and that of b-keratin filament is a pleated sheet. The mechanical response of a-keratin has been extensively studied and shows linear Hookean, yield and post-yield regions, and in some cases, a high reversible elastic deformation. Thus, they can be also be considered 'biopolymers'. On the other hand, b-keratin has not been investigated as comprehensively. Keratinous materials are strain-rate sensitive, and the effect of hydration is significant.Keratinous materials exhibit a complex hierarchical structure: polypeptide chains and filament-matrix structures at the nanoscale, Progress in Materials Science 76 (2016) 229-318 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Progress in Materials Sciencej o u r n a l h o m e p a g e : w w w . e l s e v i e r . c o m / l o c a t e / p m a t s c i organization of keratinized cells into lamellar, tubular-intertubular, fiber or layered structures at the microscale, and solid, compact sheaths over porous core, sandwich or threads at the macroscale. These produce a wide range of mechanical properties: the Young's modulus ranges from 10 MPa in stratum corneum to about 2.5 GPa in feathers, and the tensile strength varies from 2 MPa in stratum corneum to 530 MPa in dry hagfish slime threads. Therefore, they are able to serve various functions including diffusion barrier, buffering external attack, energy-absorption, impact-resistance, piercing opponents, withstanding repeated stress and aerodynamic forces, and resisting buckling and penetration.A fascinating part of the new frontier of materials study is the development of bioinspired materials and designs. A comprehensive understanding of the biochemistry, structure and mechanical properties of keratins and keratinous materials is of great importance for keratin-based bioinspired materials and designs. Current bioinspired efforts including the manufacturing of quill-inspired aluminum composites, animal horn-inspired SiC composites, and feather-i...

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Section: Relative Humidity (%)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Hagfish Slime Threadsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keratin: Structure, mechanical properties, occurrence in biological organisms, and efforts at bioinspiration

Wang

Yang

McKittrick

et al. 2016

Progress in Materials Science

681

474

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…There have been studies of baleen's microscopic ultrastructure (Pfeiffer, 1992), calcification (Szewciw et al, 2010), and histology and development (Tullberg, 1883;Pivorunas, 1976;Fudge et al, 2009), along with mentions of its general properties (St Aubin et al, 1984;Orton and Brodie, 1987;Lambertsen et al, 2005). Aside from two publications on baleen's filtration capacity and trophic efficiency based on flume Flow-dependent baleen porosity testing (Mayo et al, 2001;Werth, 2012), studies of baleen function include unpublished reports (Braithwaite, 1983;Lambertsen et al, 1989) and master's or doctoral theses (Kot, 2005;Kot, 2009;Pinto, 2011;Young, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow-dependent porosity and other biomechanical properties of mysticete baleen

Werth

2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYDespite its vital function in a highly dynamic environment, baleen is typically assumed to be a static material. Its biomechanical and material properties have not previously been explored. Thus I tested sections of baleen from bowhead whales, Balaena mysticetus, and humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, alone or in groups representing miniature ʻracksʼ, in a flow tank through which water and buoyant particles circulated with variable flow velocity. Kinematic sequences were recorded through an endoscopic camera or viewing window. One set of experiments investigated particle capture; another series analyzed biomechanical behavior, including fringe spacing, movement and interaction. Baleen fringe porosity directly correlates, in a mostly linear fashion, with velocity of incident water flow. However, undulation and interaction of fringes (especially of bowheads) at higher flow velocities can decrease porosity. Fringe porosity depends on distance from the baleen plate. Porosity also varies, with fringe length, by position along the length of an individual plate. Plate orientation, which varied from 0 to 90deg relative to water flow, is crucial in fringe spacing and particle capture. At all flow velocities, porosity is lowest with plates aligned parallel to water flow. Turbulence introduced when plates rotate perpendicular to flow (as in cross-flow filtration) increases fringe interaction, so that particles more easily strike fringes yet more readily dislodge. Baleen of bowhead whales, which feed by continuous ram filtration, differs biomechanically from that of humpbacks, which use intermittent lunge filtration. The longer, finer fringes of bowhead baleen readily form a mesh-like mat, especially at higher flow velocities, to trap tiny particles.

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“…11). The development and structure of baleen in the fetal and adult whale is covered in detail by Fudge et al (2009), who present an annotated translation of the seminal 1883 paper by Tycho Tullber. The tubules of a single plate have a range of diameters but the average tubule diameter depends on the species (Figs.…”

Section: Baleenmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in identifying archaeological traces of horn and other keratinous hard tissues

O'Connor

Solazzo²,

Collins

2014

Studies in Conservation

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Despite being widely utilized in the production of cultural objects, keratinous hard tissues, such as horn, baleen, and tortoiseshell, rarely survive in archaeological contexts unless factors combine to inhibit biodeterioration. Even when these materials do survive, working, use, and diagenetic changes combine to make identification difficult. This paper reviews the chemistry and deterioration of keratin and past approaches to the identification of keratinous archaeological remains. It describes the formation of horn, hoof, baleen, and tortoiseshell and demonstrates how identification can be achieved by combining visual observation under low-power magnification with an understanding of the structure and characteristic deterioration of these materials. It also demonstrates how peptide mass fingerprinting of the keratin can be used to identify keratinous tissues, often to species, even when recognizable structural information has not survived.

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Morphology and Development of Blue Whale Baleen: An Annotated Translation of Tycho Tullberg's Classic 1883 Paper

Cited by 49 publications

References 0 publications

Keratin: Structure, mechanical properties, occurrence in biological organisms, and efforts at bioinspiration

Keratin: Structure, mechanical properties, occurrence in biological organisms, and efforts at bioinspiration

Flow-dependent porosity and other biomechanical properties of mysticete baleen

Advances in identifying archaeological traces of horn and other keratinous hard tissues

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