Dynamic microvilli sculpt bristles at nanometric scale

Serial block face SEM datasets of bristleworm Platynereis dumerilii larvae addressing formation of bristles.
Chitin-containing bristles (chaetae or setae) are name-giving features of polychaete worms, but also occur in various related invertebrate taxa. In contrast to insect bristles, which are chitin-coated cells, polychaete bristles are products of basal apposition mechanism, where more distal parts are synthesised first and subsequently pushed out during synthesis of more basal structures. This process yields highly stereotypical geometries, ranging from feather-like structures or hooks to composite structures containing miniature joints.

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Dynamic microvilli sculpt bristles at nanometric scale.
Ikeda KN, Belevich I, Zelaya-Lainez L, Orel L, Füssl J, Gumulec J, Hellmich C, Jokitalo E, Raible F.
Nat Commun. 2024 May 13;15(1):3733.
doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-48044-3.
PMID: 38740737

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