Shell Regeneration Module
- Regeneration of damaged snail shells is an example of natural
biological nanoscience
- Shells are formed from thin layers of calcium carbonate and protein.
- Regeneration appears to involve a self-assembly of calcium
carbonate, possibly under the direction of shell proteins.
- The rate of regrowth is typically 6 microns per day.
- This nanoscale regrowth is interesting because understanding
it may lead to devising ways to regenerate bone tissue.
- Students damage the shell of live marine snails in order to observe
the regrowth process.
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