万物简史 第549期:令人惊叹的细胞(13)

 ATP molecules¹ are essentially² little battery packs that move through the cell providing energy for all the cell's processes, and you get through a lot of it. ATP分子实质上就像一组小小的电池，它们在细胞内移动，为细胞活动提供全部能量，在此过程中你获益匪浅。

At any given moment, a typical cell in your body will have about one billion ATP molecules in it, 在你生命的每一瞬间，你体内的每个细胞内通常具有10亿个ATP分子，

and in two minutes every one of them will have been drained dry and another billion will have taken their place. 2分钟以后它们的能量都会消耗殆尽，然后又会有10亿个新的ATP分子接替它们的位置。

Every day you produce and use up a volume of ATP equivalent to about half your body weight. 每天你产生和消耗的ATP重量大约是你体重的一半。

Feel the warmth of your skin. That's your ATP at work. 摸一摸你温热的皮肤，那是你的ATP在工作。

When cells are no longer needed, they die with what can only be called great dignity. 当细胞不再被需要时，它们以堪称高贵的方式死去。

They take down all the struts³ and buttresses⁴ that hold them together and quietly devour⁵ their component⁶ parts. 它们拆下所有支撑它们的支柱和拱壁，不露声色地吞噬掉其组成部分。

The process is known as apoptosis or programmed cell death. 这一过程被称为凋亡或细胞死亡机制。

Every day billions of your cells die for your benefit and billions of others clean up the mess. 每天都有数十亿个细胞为你而死，又有数十亿个别的细胞为你清扫它们的遗体。

Cells can also die violently—for instance, when infected—but mostly they die because they are told to. 细胞也可能暴死——比如当你被感染时——但在大多数情况下它们是按照指令死去的。

Indeed, if not told to live—if not given some kind of active instruction from another cell—cells automatically kill themselves. 事实上，如果它们没有收到继续活着的指令——如果没有收到另一个细胞发出的活动指令，细胞会自己杀死自己。

Cells need a lot of reassurance⁷. 细胞真是太需要安慰了。

When, as occasionally happens, a cell fails to expire in the prescribed manner, but rather begins to divide and proliferate⁸ wildly, we call the result cancer. 在偶然情况下，细胞没有按指令死去，相反却开始拼命分裂和扩散，这种情况我们称之为癌症。

Cancer cells are really just confused cells. 癌细胞其实不过是迷途的细胞。

Cells make this mistake fairly regularly, but the body has elaborate mechanisms⁹ for dealing¹⁰ with it. 细胞经常犯类似的错误，但是人类身体具有一种纠正这种错误的复杂机制，

It is only very rarely that the process spirals out of control. 只是在极其偶然的情况下，细胞的活动才会失去控制。

 

1 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

2 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

3 struts   

（框架的）支杆( strut的名词复数 )； 支柱； 趾高气扬的步态； （尤指跳舞或表演时）卖弄

参考例句：

• The struts are firmly braced. 那些支柱上得很牢靠。
• The Struts + EJB framework is described in part four. 三、介绍Struts+EJB框架的技术组成：Struts框架和EJB组件技术。

4 buttresses   

n.扶壁，扶垛( buttress的名词复数 )v.用扶壁支撑，加固( buttress的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Flying buttresses were constructed of vertical masonry piers with arches curving out from them like fingers. 飞梁结构，灵感来自于带拱形的垂直石质桥墩，外形像弯曲的手指。 来自互联网
• GOTHIC_BUTTRESSES_DESC;Gothic construction, particularly in its later phase, is characterized by lightness and soaring spaces. 哥特式建筑，尤其是其发展的后期，以轻灵和高耸的尖顶为标志。 来自互联网

5 devour   

v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷

参考例句：

• Larger fish devour the smaller ones.大鱼吃小鱼。
• Beauty is but a flower which wrinkle will devour.美只不过是一朵，终会被皱纹所吞噬。

6 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

7 reassurance   

n.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• He drew reassurance from the enthusiastic applause.热烈的掌声使他获得了信心。
• Reassurance is especially critical when it comes to military activities.消除疑虑在军事活动方面尤为关键。

8 proliferate   

vi.激增，(迅速)繁殖，增生

参考例句：

• We must not proliferate nuclear arms.我们决不能扩散核武器。
• Rabbits proliferate when they have plenty of food.兔子有充足的食物就会繁衍得很快。

9 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。