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An adhesive protein extracted from marine mussel (Mytilus edulis) was used to bond strips of connective tissue for the purpose of evaluating the use of curing agents to improve adhesive curing. Specifically, mussel adhesive protein solution (MAPS, 0.5 mM dihydroxyphenylalanine) was applied, with or without the curing agents, to the ends of two overlapping strips of porcine small intestinal submucosa. The bond strength of this lap joint was determined after curing for 1 h at room temperature (25°C). The strength of joints formed using only MAPS or with only the ethyl, butyl or octyl cyanoacrylate adhesives were determined. Although joints bonded using ethyl cyanoacrylate were strongest, those using MAPS were stronger than those using butyl and octyl cyanoacrylates. The addition of 25 mM solutions of the transition metal ions V 5+ , Fe 3+ and Cr 6+ , which are all oxidants, increased the bond strength of the MAPS joints. The V 5+ gave the strongest bonds and the Fe 3+ the second strongest. In subsequent tests with V 5+ and Fe 3+ solutions, the bond strength increased with V 5+ concentration, but it did not increase with Fe 3+ concentration. Addition of 250 mM V 5+ gave a very strong bond.

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