英伦广角 粘性物使骨头结实并且柔软

 

New news is goo news—when it’s inside our bones, anyway. Because a combination of imaging techniques and modeling has revealed that our bones are filled with a natural chemical goo that’s key to the bones’ function as support structures. The finding is in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. [Erika Davie et al, Citrate bridges between mineral platelets in bone]

And it could inform research into the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Bone actually largely consists of tiny crystals of calcium¹ phosphate, and the goo is in fact a combination of the compound citrate and water. The viscous² mixture surrounds the crystals, letting them slide and slip past each other.

The resulting flexibility³ lets bones bend but not break under normal pressure. Most of that flexibility had been attributed to the presence of the protein collagen, but the citrate goo appears to play a big role too.

Unfortunately, as people age, the goo may begin to seep⁴ out. The remaining mineral crystals then can fuse together, according to lead researcher Melinda Duer at the University of Cambridge, and the bones become brittle⁵.

Keeping the goo in its proper place between the mineral crystals might thus help ward⁶ off osteoporosis. Which would be a bona fide breakthrough.

1 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。

2 viscous   

adj.粘滞的，粘性的

参考例句：

• Gases are much less viscous than liquids.气体的粘滞性大大小于液体。
• The mud is too viscous.You must have all the agitators run.泥浆太稠，你们得让所有的搅拌机都开着。

3 flexibility   

n.柔韧性，弹性，（光的）折射性，灵活性

参考例句：

• Her great strength lies in her flexibility.她的优势在于她灵活变通。
• The flexibility of a man's muscles will lessen as he becomes old.人老了肌肉的柔韧性将降低。

4 seep   

v.渗出，渗漏；n.渗漏，小泉，水（油）坑

参考例句：

• My anger began to seep away.我的怒火开始消下去了。
• If meteoric water does not evaporate or run overland,it may seep directly into the ground.如果雨水不从陆地蒸发和流走的话，就可能直接渗入地下。

5 brittle   

adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的

参考例句：

• The pond was covered in a brittle layer of ice.池塘覆盖了一层易碎的冰。
• She gave a brittle laugh.她冷淡地笑了笑。

6 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。