Development of mechanical properties in WECB Development of mechanical properties in WECB. Capsule maturation is divided into three distinct phases: (I) pre-pedal manipulation, (II) pedal manipulation and (III) post-pedal manipulation. Development of mechanical properties in WECB. Capsule maturation is divided into three distinct phases: (I) pre-pedal manipulation, (II) pedal manipulation and (III) post-pedal manipulation. Pre-pedal manipulation consists of formation of the nascent egg capsule in the nidamental gland including its transport to the pedal gland. Capsules tested in this phase lack material cohesiveness on a scale detectable by our testing apparatuses. These capsules are also very soluble. The pedal manipulation phase involves solely the treatment and manipulation of the capsule while it is in the ventral pedal gland. Capsules from this phase are beginning to show elasticity, due presumably to crosslinking. Post-pedal manipulation includes the deposition of the capsule either on substrate, or to a growing strand. Capsules in this phase show the fully developed mechanical properties with a Hookean and yield region. Additional curing probably occurs over a period of time. (Note, force scales are different in II and III.) Both figures are composed of raw data directly from the MTS tensometer. Multiple curves represent different specimens. Thus, the development of final mechanical and chemical properties is a time-dependent maturation catalyzed by a sclerotizing mechanism applied in the VPG. H. Scott Rapoport, and Robert E. Shadwick J Exp Biol 2007;210:12-26 © The Company of Biologists Limited 2007