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Hi Adrian Dolphin skin is renowned for being clean of ectoparasites. Research has shown that like the lotus leaf, this is due to its nanoscale roughness which prevents parasitic larval forms from attaching - see http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/materialwissenschaften/bericht-14022.html. Regarding specific aspects of fish mucus, I am sure that a lot of work has been done in this area on salmon and trout (Salmo salar and Salmo trutta) in the war against sealice infections. See papers by Mordue, Pike and Bron of Aberdeen and Heriott Watt Universities. I agree with Richard in that the mucus stays attached unless it is scraped off when the skin surface is abraded. The mucus layer is then regenerated by mucus cells in the epidermal layer. Hope that helps! Abby Ingram (University of Oxford) In message <003701c4e1ef$02cae060$82a9fea9@oemcomputer> Engineers and biologists mechanical design list <[log in to unmask]> writes: > I'm an Engineer working in the food industry, and I'm looking for some help in understanding any natural systems that stay clean and avoid microbe growth in watery environments, with a view to making 'self-cleaning' or 'undirtyable' pipes for the food industry. > > Can anyone point me in the direction of knowlege about the biochemisty, enzymes, antibodies and biophysics etc. of fish mucus, (and can explain how a slipery surface stays firmly attached to scales beneath- and if not, how it it replenished)? > > Adrian Marshall > > Crafty Tech Ltd, Ingenious machine developers > The Nursery, 13 Longwall, Haddenham, > Aylesbury, Bucks, HP17 8DL > Tel/ fax (01844) 296161 > www.craftytech.co.uk >