Review: mapping proteins localized in adhesive setae of the tokay gecko and their possible influence on the mechanism of adhesion

The digital adhesive pads that allow gecko lizards to climb vertical surfaces result from the modification of the oberhautchen layer of the epidermis in normal scales. This produces sticky filaments of 10–100 μm in length, called setae that are composed of various proteins. The prevalent types, termed corneous beta proteins (CBPs), have a low molecular weight (12–20 kDa) and contain a conserved central region of 34 amino acids with a...