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Information about Conchiolin

Conchiolin (sometimes referred to as conchin) and perlucin are complex proteins which are secreted by a mollusc's outer epithelium (the mantle). These proteins are part of a matrix of organic macromolecules, mainly proteins and polysaccharides, that assembled together form the microenvironment where crystals nucleate and grow. This organic matrix also holds and binds to the crystals of aragonite which give such shells their stiffness. The ions necessary to form calcium carbonate are also secreted by the mantle, but it is the tailored environment created by the organic matrix which causes aragonite (rather than calcite) crystals to nucleate, in much the same way that collagen nucleates hydroxyapatite crystals. Conchiolin serves as a relatively flexible, crack-deflecting matrix for the mineral aggregate particles; its strength and the strong bonding of perlucin give the finished material (nacre) an impressive level of toughness.

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Proteins are large organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of adjacent amino acid residues.
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Mollusca
Linnaeus, 1758

Classes

Caudofoveata
Aplacophora
Polyplacophora
Monoplacophora
Bivalvia
Scaphopoda
Gastropoda
Cephalopoda
† Rostroconchia
† Helcionelloida
† ?Bellerophontida
The molluscs
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epithelium is a tissue composed of a layer of cells. Epithelium lines both the outside (skin) and the inside cavities and lumen of bodies. The outermost layer of our skin is composed of dead stratified squamous, keratinized epithelial cells.
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The mantle is an organ found in mollusks. It is the dorsal body wall covering the main body, or visceral mass. In many species, the epidermis of this organ secretes calcium carbonate to create a shell.
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Aragonite is a carbonate mineral, one of the two common, naturally occurring polymorphs of calcium carbonate, CaCO3. The other is the mineral calcite. Aragonite's crystal lattice differs from that of calcite, resulting in a different crystal shape, an orthorhombic
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ion is an atom or molecule which has lost or gained one or more electrons, making it positively or negatively charged. A negatively charged ion, which has more electrons in its electron shells than it has protons in its nuclei, is known as an anion
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Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound, with the chemical formula CaCO3. It is a common substance found as rock in all parts of the world, and is the main component of shells of marine organisms, snails, and eggshells.
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calcite]] The carbonate mineral, calcite, is a chemical or biochemical calcium carbonate corresponding to the formula CaCO3 and is one of the most widely distributed minerals on the Earth's surface.
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Collagen is the main protein of connective tissue in animals and the most abundant protein in mammals, [1] making up about 25% of the total protein content.

Uses


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Hydroxylapatite, also often incorrectly called hydroxyapatite, is a mineral. It is a naturally occurring form of calcium apatite with the formula Ca5(PO4)3(OH), but is usually written Ca10(PO4)6
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extracellular matrix (ECM) is the extracellular part of animal tissue that usually provides structural support to the cells in addition to performing various other important functions. The extracellular matrix is the defining feature of connective tissue in animals.
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Aggregate is the component of a composite material used to resist compressive stress. For efficient filling, aggregate should be much smaller than the finished item, but have a wide variety of sizes.
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Nacre, also known as mother of pearl, is an organic-inorganic composite material produced by some mollusks. It is strong and resilient, and appears irridescent. Pearls and the inside layers of an oyster shell are made of nacre.
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In materials science and metallurgy, toughness is the resistance to fracture of a material when stressed. It is defined as the amount of energy that a material can absorb before rupturing, and can be found by taking the area (i.e.
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Herod_Archelaus


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