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In addition to being an advertising icon with its own blog, the delightful gecko is now the focus of a detailed biophysical analysis of its ability to attach itself to walls and ceilings. Specialized epidermal structures allow these spectacular feats.
The gecko embodies an advanced form of four-wheel drive, with all feet and toes able to point in separate directions. The epidermis of each toe contains about 20 rows of lamellae in an arrangement resembling a simple dermatoglyphics ridge pattern. Each lamella comprises about 200,000 setae, which terminate in hundreds to thousands of spatulae. All these epidermal structures are composed of beta-keratins and a histidine-rich matrix protein. The …