Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Stress-Strain Diagram - Ductile Materials01:24

Stress-Strain Diagram - Ductile Materials

1.5K
The stress-strain relationship in ductile materials such as structural steel or aluminium is intricate and progresses through several stages. When a specimen is loaded, it initially exhibits a linear length increase, depicted by a steep straight line on the stress-strain diagram. It indicates the material is elastically deforming and will return to its original shape once unloaded. However, when a critical stress value is reached, plastic deformation begins. This stage sees substantial...
1.5K
Plastic Behavior01:21

Plastic Behavior

395
A material's elastic behavior is characterized by the disappearance of stress once the load is removed, allowing the material to return to its original state. However, when stress surpasses the yield point, yielding commences, marking the onset of plastic deformation or permanent set. This change from elastic to plastic behavior is influenced by the peak stress value and the duration before the load is removed. An intriguing observation occurs when a specimen is loaded, unloaded, and...
395
Smooth Muscle Contraction01:25

Smooth Muscle Contraction

6.4K
Smooth muscle contraction is a complex process vital for various bodily functions, from maintaining blood vessel tension to facilitating the movement of food through the digestive tract. Unlike striated muscles, smooth muscle contraction begins more slowly and lasts longer.
The onset of contraction is triggered by an increase in calcium ions within the sarcoplasm, similar to the process in striated muscle. However, smooth muscles have a relatively smaller reservoir of the sarcoplasmic...
6.4K
Hooke's Law01:26

Hooke's Law

1.1K
Hooke's law, a pivotal principle in material science, establishes that the strain a material undergoes is directly proportional to the applied stress, defined by a factor called the modulus of elasticity or Young's modulus.
1.1K
Normal Strain under Axial Loading01:20

Normal Strain under Axial Loading

937
Normal strain under axial loading is an important concept in the field of mechanics of materials. Axial loading implies the application of a force along the axis of a material, like a column or bar. This force can either compress or stretch the material. In the context of axial loading, normal strain is the deformation experienced by the material in the direction of the loading force. It's calculated as the change in length divided by the original length of the material. This unitless ratio...
937
Strain Energy01:13

Strain Energy

755
Strain energy is a fundamental concept in the field of materials science and structural engineering, describing the energy absorbed by a material or structure when it is deformed under load.
Consider a rod that is fixed at one end and subjected to an axial force at the free end. This axial force induces stress within the rod, leading to its elongation. As the axial force increases, so does the elongation of the rod, illustrating a direct relationship between the force applied and the resulting...
755

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Compartment-Specific Aberrant YAP Activation Impairs Endometrial Receptivity and Decidualization in Recurrent Implantation Failure and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss†.

Biology of reproduction·2026
Same author

Polaron activation in conjugated polymers for enhanced T<sub>2</sub> MRI contrast.

Nanoscale·2026
Same author

A percolation-based theoretical model reveals the structural origin of strain-stiffening in semiflexible fibrous networks.

Soft matter·2026
Same author

Association between lipid metabolism and lung adenocarcinoma: Evidence from Mendelian randomization and tissue microbiome analysis.

Journal of cancer research and therapeutics·2026
Same author

Interfacial Assembly Reprograms Defect-Mediated Bending Mechanics in Rigid Biogenic Nanofibrils.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same author

Meta-analysis of Probiotic Interventions in Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Sleeve Gastrectomy: Effect on Cardiovascular Risk Factors.

Probiotics and antimicrobial proteins·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale
13:36

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale

Published on: July 18, 2012

27.2K

Structural Changes in Spider Dragline Silk after Repeated Supercontraction-Stretching Processes.

Linli Hu1, Qianying Chen1, Jinrong Yao1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China.

Biomacromolecules
|November 18, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Spider silk undergoes structural changes with repeated supercontraction and stretching, developing new periodic structures. Despite increased structural regularity, its impressive mechanical properties remain unchanged, guiding artificial silk development.

More Related Videos

Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands
09:47

Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands

Published on: January 11, 2011

16.1K
Material Formation of Recombinant Spider Silks through Aqueous Solvation using Heat and Pressure
10:26

Material Formation of Recombinant Spider Silks through Aqueous Solvation using Heat and Pressure

Published on: May 6, 2019

5.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 29, 2025

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale
13:36

Synthetic Spider Silk Production on a Laboratory Scale

Published on: July 18, 2012

27.2K
Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands
09:47

Microdissection of Black Widow Spider Silk-producing Glands

Published on: January 11, 2011

16.1K
Material Formation of Recombinant Spider Silks through Aqueous Solvation using Heat and Pressure
10:26

Material Formation of Recombinant Spider Silks through Aqueous Solvation using Heat and Pressure

Published on: May 6, 2019

5.6K

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Materials Science
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Spider dragline silk is known for its exceptional strength, extensibility, and supercontraction.
  • Previous studies investigated silk conformation changes during supercontraction, noting stable mechanical properties despite altered structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate structural changes in spider dragline silk after multiple supercontraction-stretching cycles.
  • To understand the relationship between structural modifications and mechanical properties under repeated treatments.

Main Methods:

  • Synchrotron radiation Fourier-transform infrared (S-FTIR) microspectroscopy
  • Synchrotron radiation small-angle X-ray scattering (S-SAXS)
  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM)

Main Results:

  • Repeated supercontraction-stretching slightly increased beta-sheet content without altering orientation.
  • A 10.5 nm periodic structure perpendicular to the fiber axis emerged, alongside the existing 6.6 nm longitudinal period.
  • AFM revealed corn kernel-like structures (210 nm x 80 nm) on nanofibrils after three cycles, linked to the observed periodicities.

Conclusions:

  • Spider dragline silk exhibits increasing structural regularity with supercontraction-stretching cycles.
  • Mechanical properties remain constant despite significant structural evolution, offering insights for artificial fiber design.