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Take a deep breath. Taste anything? Actually, your lungs may. Because scientists have discovered that the same receptors that exist on the tongue to taste bitter substances are also found on the smooth muscle of the lungs.
Researchers were studying the receptors on smooth lung muscles that ___1___ of the airways. That’s when they made the discovery—which was so unexpected that the researchers themselves were ___2___.
Finally, they became convinced that the receptors were really there, though not ___3___ in taste buds as they are on the tongue. The scientists then exposed human and mouse airways to various bitter compounds to gauge the effects.
Many toxic compounds are bitter, so the researchers expected the lung muscle to ___4___ and contract—to compel the breather to move away from whatever was bitter and perhaps toxic. But, in a second surprise, bitter compounds relaxed and opened airways better than any existing asthma drug. The study is in the journal Nature Medicine.
Researchers will continue to search for the role of the receptors. Meanwhile, the work ___5___ in the search for drugs to treat asthma, emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
regulate contraction and relaxation skeptical clustered tense up represents a surprising new lead
深呼吸——嘴巴尝到什么味道了么？也许你的肺尝到了哦~科学家发现肺部平滑肌上也有能够“尝”苦味的感受器，和舌头上的一模一样。 研究人员在研究肺部平滑肌上调节气道伸缩的感受器时获得了上述发现，他们自己对此意外发现也感到过怀疑。 最终，他们发现这些感受器虽不像舌头上的那样成簇聚集在味蕾上，但确确实实存在。继而他们又用各种各样味苦的化合物测试人体和老鼠气道的反应。 很多有毒化合物都比较苦，因此研究人员预计肺部肌肉会紧张收缩——迫使呼吸者远离苦涩或是有毒性的物品。不过研究人员再次得到了一个惊喜——苦味化合物能够帮助张开气道，效果比现有的任何哮喘药都好。该研究报告刊登在《自然-医学》杂志上。 研究人员会继续研究感受器的功用。与此同时，这项研究也为研制治疗哮喘、肺气肿、慢性支气管炎等疾病的药物开辟了一条新的道路。