Porcupine Barbs For Better Wound Healing

The North American porcupine appears cute, but it has upward of 30,000 menacing quills covering much of its body. The slow-moving herbivore only uses them as a last-resort defense against predators.

Surgeons would love to find a replacement for surgical staples — one that doesn’t aggravate wounds on the way in and out. Bioengineers think they’ve found the right model — a porcupine’s quill.

(Image credit: Lindsay Wildlife Experience)

Read the full post on Health Care : NPR