3dGameMan
07-12-2005, 09:00 AM
Sticky situation - scientist finds the billion-dollar frog: ~source (http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1260&storyid=3428239)
http://images.news.com.au/thedailytelegraph/3428684_frog.jpg
By DAJANA DIKIC
July 12, 2005
KISSING this frog won't produce a prince, but experiments into the way it defends itself could produce a princely sum.
Mike Tyler discovered the unusual abilities of the notaden frog – also known as the holy cross frog or crucifix frog – by accident.
He found that the "big, fat and lumbering" creature – commonly found in Australia's driest areas – secretes a fast-drying "frog-glue" when under attack.
Ants are its biggest enemy and when the insects bite it the sticky fluid sticks the ants to its skin.
The frog can then shed its own skin, ants and all. The substance is non toxic and could revolutionise the way human wounds heal.
"I was collecting these frogs and they excreted this material over my fingers" Professor Tyler, from Adelaide, said yesterday.
After numerous attempts to wash the sticky substance off his fingers, Mr Tyler eventually had to scrape it off with a knife.
It inspired him to examine the glue further. He took a few samples to the University of Adelaide and found it was non-toxic, set rapidly and adhered to a range of materials including flesh, cartilage, wood, plastic, glass and even beer cans.
Scientists hope to create a synthetic version of the glue.
The CSIRO estimated the market potential for use in wound closure was more than $1 billion, and for hemostats (agents that stop bleeding), more than $3 billion.
http://images.news.com.au/thedailytelegraph/3428684_frog.jpg
By DAJANA DIKIC
July 12, 2005
KISSING this frog won't produce a prince, but experiments into the way it defends itself could produce a princely sum.
Mike Tyler discovered the unusual abilities of the notaden frog – also known as the holy cross frog or crucifix frog – by accident.
He found that the "big, fat and lumbering" creature – commonly found in Australia's driest areas – secretes a fast-drying "frog-glue" when under attack.
Ants are its biggest enemy and when the insects bite it the sticky fluid sticks the ants to its skin.
The frog can then shed its own skin, ants and all. The substance is non toxic and could revolutionise the way human wounds heal.
"I was collecting these frogs and they excreted this material over my fingers" Professor Tyler, from Adelaide, said yesterday.
After numerous attempts to wash the sticky substance off his fingers, Mr Tyler eventually had to scrape it off with a knife.
It inspired him to examine the glue further. He took a few samples to the University of Adelaide and found it was non-toxic, set rapidly and adhered to a range of materials including flesh, cartilage, wood, plastic, glass and even beer cans.
Scientists hope to create a synthetic version of the glue.
The CSIRO estimated the market potential for use in wound closure was more than $1 billion, and for hemostats (agents that stop bleeding), more than $3 billion.