2023年经济学人 治疗蛀牙的新办法(2)

 

    Armed with that information, Dr Ruohola-Baker and her colleagues next checked to see whether the stem cells could be persuaded to transform into ameloblasts.

    有了这些信息，罗霍拉-贝克博士和她的同事们下一步核验了是否可以驱使干细胞转变成成釉细胞。

    The team devised a cocktail¹ of drugs designed to activate² the genes³ that they knew were expressed in functioning ameloblasts.

    该团队设计了一种混合药物，旨在激活他们已知的在功能成釉细胞中表达的基因。

    That did the trick, with the engineered ameloblasts turning out the same proteins as the natural sort.

    这招奏效了，经过改造的成釉细胞产生了与天然成釉细胞相同的蛋白质。

    A different cocktail pushed the stem cells to become odontoblasts instead.

    而另一种混合物则促使干细胞分化为成牙细胞。

    Culturing the cells together produced what researchers call an organoid—a glob of tissue in a petri dish which mimics⁴ a biological organ.

    将这些细胞一起培养后就产生了研究人员所谓的类器官——一种在培养皿中模仿生物器官的组织团。

    The organoids happily churned out the chemical components⁵ of enamel⁶.

    类器官愉快地分泌出了牙釉质的化学成分。

    Having both cell types seemed to be crucial: when odontoblasts were present alongside ameloblasts, genes coding for enamel proteins were more strongly expressed than with ameloblasts alone.

    拥有这两种细胞类型似乎是至关重要的:当成牙釉质细胞和成釉细胞同时存在时，编码牙釉质蛋白的基因比单独存在成釉细胞时表达得更强烈。

    For now, the work is more a proof of concept than a prototype of an imminent⁷ medical treatment.

    目前，这项工作更多的是一个概念证明，而不是一个即将到来的医学治疗原型。

    The next step, says Dr Ruohola-Baker, is to try to boost enamel production even further, with a view to eventually beginning clinical trials.

    罗霍拉-贝克博士说，下一阶段是进一步促进牙釉质的产生，并最终开始临床试验。

    The hope is that, one day, medical versions of the team’s organoids could be used as biological implants⁸, to regenerate⁹ a patient’s decayed teeth.

    希望有一天，该团队医学版本的类器官可以用作生物植入物，以帮助患者的蛀牙新生。

    Stem-cell-based therapies are not the only ones heading to clinical trials.

    干细胞疗法并不是唯一进入临床试验的疗法。

    Another class of treatments is known as biomimetic repair.

    另一类治疗被称为仿生修复。

    This involves rebuilding the tooth crown using synthetic¹⁰ proteins, which are similar, but not quite identical, to human enamel.

    这包括使用合成蛋白质重建牙冠，这种蛋白质与人类牙釉质相似，但并不完全相同。

    Unlike stem-cell treatments, the proteins could be included in toothpaste, mouthwash and even cough drops.

    与干细胞疗法不同的是，这种蛋白质可以被添加到牙膏、漱口水甚至止咳药水中。

    But synthetic formulations can be less durable¹¹ than human enamel.

    但合成配方可能不如人类牙釉质耐用。

    It will take time for either technology to arrive in the clinic.

    这两种技术都需要一段时间才能进入临床。

    One question is just how durable the enamel made by stem-cell-derived ameloblasts proves to be.

    还存在一个问题，由干细胞衍生成釉细胞制成的牙釉质究竟有多耐用。

    Another is how best to deliver the stem cells to a patient’s mouth.

    另一个问题是如何最好地将干细胞输送到病人的口腔。

    But these findings are promising¹².

    但这些发现都是前途无量的。

    As any dentist will tell you, prevention is better than cure.

    任何牙医都会告诉你，预防胜于治疗。

    But a better cure would be welcome nonetheless.

    尽管如此，更好的治疗方法仍将大受欢迎。

1 cocktail   

n.鸡尾酒；餐前开胃小吃；混合物

参考例句：

• We invited some foreign friends for a cocktail party.我们邀请了一些外国朋友参加鸡尾酒会。
• At a cocktail party in Hollywood,I was introduced to Charlie Chaplin.在好莱坞的一次鸡尾酒会上，人家把我介绍给查理·卓别林。

2 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

3 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

4 mimics   

n.模仿名人言行的娱乐演员，滑稽剧演员( mimic的名词复数 )；善于模仿的人或物v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的第三人称单数 )；酷似

参考例句：

• Methods:Models were generate by CT scan,Mimics software and Abaqus software. 方法：采用CT扫描，Mimics软件和Abaqus软件的CAD进行三维有限元模型的创建。 来自互联网
• Relaxing the mind and body mimics the effect that some blood-pressure pills would have. 放松身心会产生某些降压药才能产生的效果。 来自辞典例句

5 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

6 enamel   

n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质

参考例句：

• I chipped the enamel on my front tooth when I fell over.我跌倒时门牙的珐琅质碰碎了。
• He collected coloured enamel bowls from Yugoslavia.他藏有来自南斯拉夫的彩色搪瓷碗。

7 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

8 implants   

n.（植入身体中的）移植物( implant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters. 激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Perhaps the most far-reaching project is an initiative called Living Implants From Engineering (LIFE). 也许最具深远意义的项目，是刚刚启动的建造活体移植工程 (LIFE)。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 医学的第四次革命

9 regenerate   

vt.使恢复，使新生；vi.恢复，再生；adj.恢复的

参考例句：

• Their aim is to regenerate British industry.他们的目的是复兴英国的工业。
• Although it is not easy,you have the power to regenerate your life.尽管这不容易，但你有使生活重获新生的能力。

10 synthetic   

adj.合成的，人工的；综合的；n.人工制品

参考例句：

• We felt the salesman's synthetic friendliness.我们感觉到那位销售员的虚情假意。
• It's a synthetic diamond.这是人造钻石。

11 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

12 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。