Soft Thread Hardens in the Air
Spider silk glands make up a sophisticated chemical factory, which converts water-soluble proteins into strong thread.
GLAND
Raw protein for the silk are excreted by cells, from deep in the the silk gland.
AMPOULE
The proteins are united into bundles in an ampoule including an aqueous solution.
SPINNING CANAL
Proteins travel a canal, in which they are stretched. They are united into a fibre.
OPENING
The solution turns into the final fibre, as it is forced through a narrow opening.
WEB
Out in the open, the spider stretches the soft fibre even more, hardening the thread.