To illustrate how specialized organs help prepare biological materials for their rapid on demand solidification, we detail the mussel byssus example . Byssal fibers cure after release, triggered by the higher pH of saltwater compared to that of the gland . This fiber anchors mussels to the shore and withstands the crushing waves with its outstanding toughness and underwater adhesion properties . Within the mussel's foot, plaque gland cells secrete plaque vesicles and metal storage particles (Fe/V) into longitudinal ducts . Cilia transport these concentrated droplets to distal depressions, where the material forms reversible metal-containing coordination complexes with catechol groups of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)-containing vesicles . After secretion from the foot, the fiber is held at its stem by billions of cilia and detaches upon neurochemical stimulation . While synthetic and biotechnological methods aim to mimic this hierarchical material , self-microfabrication offers a promising alternative for replicating complex material processing.