How do scars form? - Sarthak Sinha

伤疤是怎么形成的？ - Sarthak Sinha

翻译人员: Cissy Yun 校对人员: Jenny Yang

Remember the time you fell off your bike or bumped your head on a sharp corner?

还记得你从自行车上摔下 或一头撞到尖角之时吗？

Childhood injuries are things we'd often like to forget,

我们经常选择忘记童年时受的伤

but our bodies often carry the memories in the form of scars.

但是在我们身体上留下的伤疤依然带着这段回忆

So what are these unwanted souvenirs and why do we keep them for so long

但是这些本想要的“纪念品”到底是什么呢？

after that unintended vacation to the emergency room?

我们又为何在一次不情愿的医院之旅后， 将它们留下呢？

The most common place we see scars are on our skin,

最常见的伤疤位置是在我们的皮肤上

a patch that looks slightly different from the normal skin around it.

是一块与看起来正常皮肤不一样的皮肤

Often, this is considered an unfortunate disfigurement,

这经常被认为是一个不幸的“毁容”

while other times, deliberate scarification has been used

但有些伤疤是故意为之的

in both traditional and modern cultures, to mark a rite of passage

在传统和现代文化中都有这种现象， 有时是纪念一个仪式

or simply for aesthetic decoration.

其他则是简单的装饰

But the difference isn't only cosmetic.

但是伤疤拥有的不仅仅是外形上的区别

When we look at healthy skin tissue under a microscope,

当我们在显微镜下观察健康的肌肤组织时

we see the cells that perform various functions

我们可以看见各种细胞起到不同的作用

connected by an extracellular matrix, or ECM.

被ECM(细胞外基质)所连接

This is composed of structural proteins, like collagen,

ECM由结构蛋白所组成，像是胶原蛋白

secreted by specialized fibroblast cells.

由成纤维细胞分泌

Well-arranged ECM allows for transportation of nutrients,

紧密排列的ECM让营养物质得到传输，

cell-to-cell communication, and cell adhesion.

促成细胞之间的交流和细胞黏附

But when a deep wound occurs, this arrangement is disrupted.

但是当产生一个很深的伤口时 这种排序被打乱

During the process of wound healing, collagen is redeposited at the wound site,

在愈合的过程中， 胶原蛋白会在伤口旁重新沉淀

but instead of the basket-weave formation found in healthy tissue,

但是不同于在健康组织中的篮织形成法

the new ECM is aligned in a single direction,

新的ECM以单向排列

impeding inter-cell processes, and reducing durability and elasticity.

这阻止了细胞间的联系 并且减少了耐久性和伸展性

To make matters worse,

让情况变得更糟的是

the healed tissue contains a higher proportion of ECM than before,

痊愈后的组织拥有更多的ECM

reducing its overall function.

反倒使它的功能不如从前

在皮肤中，过量的胶原蛋白会妨碍它原本的作用

In the skin, the overabundance of collagen interferes with its original functions,

like producing sweat,

比如说出汗

controlling body temperature

控制体温

and even growing hair.

或是生长毛发

The scar tissue is fragile, sensitive to changes in temperature and sensation,

伤疤组织是非常脆弱，并且对于温度的变化十分敏感

and should be kept in moist environments to maximize healing.

而且为了达到最好的愈合效果 必须放置在潮湿的环境下

This presence of excessive fibrous connective tissue in an organ

这种过量的纤维性结缔组织

is known as fibrosis, and if that term sounds familiar,

被称为纤维症 如果这个词听起来十分耳熟的话

是因为我们的皮肤并非唯一易有伤疤的器官

it's because our skin is not the only organ vulnerable to scarring.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that causes scarring of the pancreas,

囊肿性纤维化是一种遗传疾病 会在胰腺上产生伤疤

while pulmonary fibrosis is a scarring of the lungs,

而肺纤维化则是在肺上产生伤疤

resulting in shortness of breath.

从而形成呼吸困难

Scarring of the heart and the buildup of ECM following a heart attack

在心脏上结疤和产生ECM(细胞外基质) 会导致心脏病

can inhibit its beating, leading to further heart problems.

会阻止其跳动，并会产生更多的心脏问题

What's common to all these conditions

所有这些状态的共性是

is that although it retains some of the original functions,

虽然伤疤组织依然有剩余的一些原功能

the scar tissue formed after a wound

但是在受伤过后

is inferior to the native tissue it replaces.

它总是不如健康的原始组织的

However, there is hope.

但是，我们还是有希望的

Medical researchers are now studying what causes fibroblast cells

医药工作者现在正在研究是什么促使成细胞组织

to secrete excessive amounts of collagen

分泌过量的胶原蛋白

and how we can recruit the body's other cells

和我们的身体是如何“召集”其他的体细胞

in regenerating and repopulating the damaged tissue.

来重新建造被损坏的组织

By learning how to better control wound healing and the formation of scar tissue,

当我们学到如何更好地控制伤口， 愈合收伤处的皮肤组织

we can utilize the multi-billion-dollar budgets

我们可以利用几十亿的资金

currently used to address the aftermath of wounding

现在正用于研究受伤的后果

in a much more efficient manner,

以一个更高的效率

and help millions of people live better and healthier lives.

并帮助千万人拥有一个更好更健康的生活

But until then, at least some of our scars

但在那之前，我们的伤疤

can help us remember to avoid the sorts of things that cause them.

会帮助我们记得去避开那些产生伤疤的事情