Underwater adhesion: the barnacle way

Abstract

Barnacle cement is an underwater adhesive insoluble protein complex. Marine proteins secreted by the invertebrates such as barnacles and mussels have potential application as powerful adhesives as they insolubilize and adhere to variety of substrates in aqueous environment. The adhesive properties of the barnacle adhesive proteins have been utilized for various dental and medical purposes. These polyphenolic proteins are currently in demand as they are non-toxic biomaterial, highly effective glues and it is very difficult to raise antibodies against these proteins and owing to this low immunogenicity is also attractive for human applications. This review provides a brief account of biochemical composition of barnacle adhesive proteins and their applications.