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Research Article

A thin polymer membrane, nano-suit, enhancing survival across the continuum between air and high vacuum

Yasuharu Takaku, Hiroshi Suzuki, Isao Ohta, Daisuke Ishii, Yoshinori Muranaka, Masatsugu Shimomura, and Takahiko Hariyama
  1. Departments of aBiology and
  2. bChemistry and
  3. cLaboratory for Ultrastructure Research, Research Equipment Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine,1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan;
  4. dCenter for Fostering Young and Innovative Researchers, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan;
  5. eWorld Premier International Research Centers Initiative–Advanced Institute for Materials Research and
  6. fInstitute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan; and
  7. gCore Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Hon-cho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan

See allHide authors and affiliations

PNAS first published April 15, 2013; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1221341110
Yasuharu Takaku
Departments of aBiology and
gCore Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Hon-cho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan
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Hiroshi Suzuki
bChemistry and
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Isao Ohta
cLaboratory for Ultrastructure Research, Research Equipment Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine,1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan;
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Daisuke Ishii
dCenter for Fostering Young and Innovative Researchers, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan;
eWorld Premier International Research Centers Initiative–Advanced Institute for Materials Research and
gCore Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Hon-cho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan
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Yoshinori Muranaka
cLaboratory for Ultrastructure Research, Research Equipment Center, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine,1-20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan;
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Masatsugu Shimomura
eWorld Premier International Research Centers Initiative–Advanced Institute for Materials Research and
fInstitute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577, Japan; and
gCore Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Hon-cho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan
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Takahiko Hariyama
Departments of aBiology and
gCore Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Hon-cho 4-1-8, Kawaguchi 332-0012, Japan
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  • For correspondence: hariyama@hama-med.ac.jp
  1. Edited by David L. Denlinger, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, and approved March 8, 2013 (received for review December 10, 2012)

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Abstract

Most multicellular organisms can only survive under atmospheric pressure. The reduced pressure of a high vacuum usually leads to rapid dehydration and death. Here we show that a simple surface modification can render multicellular organisms strongly tolerant to high vacuum. Animals that collapsed under high vacuum continued to move following exposure of their natural extracellular surface layer (or that of an artificial coat-like polysorbitan monolaurate) to an electron beam or plasma ionization (i.e., conditions known to enhance polymer formation). Transmission electron microscopic observations revealed the existence of a thin polymerized extra layer on the surface of the animal. The layer acts as a flexible “nano-suit” barrier to the passage of gases and liquids and thus protects the organism. Furthermore, the biocompatible molecule, the component of the nano-suit, was fabricated into a “biomimetic” free-standing membrane. This concept will allow biology-related fields especially to use these membranes for several applications.

  • animal behavior
  • biophysics
  • microscopy
  • nanotechnology
  • plasma physics

Footnotes

  • ↵1To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: hariyama{at}hama-med.ac.jp.
  • Author contributions: Y.T., M.S., and T.H. designed research; Y.T., H.S., I.O., D.I., Y.M., and T.H. performed research; H.S., I.O., and Y.M. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; Y.T., D.I., and M.S. analyzed data; and Y.T. and T.H. wrote the paper.

  • The authors declare no conflict of interest.

  • This article is a PNAS Direct Submission.

  • This article contains supporting information online at www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.1221341110/-/DCSupplemental.

Freely available online through the PNAS open access option.

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Thin polymer membrane preserves life in high vacuo
Yasuharu Takaku, Hiroshi Suzuki, Isao Ohta, Daisuke Ishii, Yoshinori Muranaka, Masatsugu Shimomura, Takahiko Hariyama
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Apr 2013, 201221341; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1221341110

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Thin polymer membrane preserves life in high vacuo
Yasuharu Takaku, Hiroshi Suzuki, Isao Ohta, Daisuke Ishii, Yoshinori Muranaka, Masatsugu Shimomura, Takahiko Hariyama
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Apr 2013, 201221341; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1221341110
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