How do scars form? - Sarthak Sinha

傷疤如何形成？— 沙塔克·辛哈 (Sarthak Sinha)

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Geoff Chen

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

還記得你從單車上摔下來 或頭撞到尖角的時候？

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

我們很想忘記孩童時受的傷

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

但是我們的身體往往 以疤痕記住這些事

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

所以這些討厭的紀念品是什麼？ 為什麼疤痕在意外的

after that unintended vacation to the emergency room?

急診室度假後還能留這麼久？

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

我們最常看見疤痕的地方 是我們的皮膚

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

有一小塊跟附近的正常皮膚 看起來有點不一樣

Often, this is considered an unfortunate disfigurement,

通常我們說這是不幸的缺陷

while other times, deliberate scarification has been used

但是有些時候 故意搞的疤痕紋身卻常在

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

傳統及現代的文化中出現 標記了成年禮

or simply for aesthetic decoration.

或當作美麗的人體裝飾

But the difference isn't only cosmetic.

但兩者的分別不僅是外表的不同

When we look at healthy skin tissue under a microscope,

當我們在顯微鏡下 看健康的皮膚組織

we see the cells that perform various functions

我們會看到執行不同功能的細胞

connected by an extracellular matrix, or ECM.

由胞外基質 又稱 ECM 連結在一起

This is composed of structural proteins, like collagen,

這是結構蛋白質的組成分 如膠原蛋白

secreted by specialized fibroblast cells.

由特化的纖維母細胞分泌

Well-arranged ECM allows for transportation of nutrients,

排列良好的胞外基質 提供營養運輸管道

cell-to-cell communication, and cell adhesion.

調結細胞間的溝通及細胞黏著

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

但當很深的傷口產生 就會打斷這樣的排列

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

在傷口癒合的過程中 膠原蛋白會重新堆積在傷口處

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

但不同於健康組織的籃網狀

the new ECM is aligned in a single direction,

新的胞外基質會排列成單一方向

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

妨礙細胞間的作用 並降低耐久性及彈性

To make matters worse,

更糟糕的是，癒合組織

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

所含的胞外基質比受傷前更多 而使整體功能下降

reducing its overall function.

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

皮膚裡過多的膠原蛋白 會干擾它原有的功能

like producing sweat,

如產生汗液調結體溫 甚至生長毛髮

controlling body temperature

and even growing hair.

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

疤痕組織很脆弱 對溫度及感覺變化敏感

and should be kept in moist environments to maximize healing.

且應該保持環境潮濕以加速癒合

This presence of excessive fibrous connective tissue in an organ

在器官中過多的纖維狀結締組織

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

稱為纖維化 如果你覺得這名詞很熟悉

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

那是因為我們的皮膚 不是唯一容易結疤的器官

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

囊腫纖維化是一種遺傳疾病 會導致胰臟結疤

while pulmonary fibrosis is a scarring of the lungs,

而肺纖維變性則是肺部的結疤

resulting in shortness of breath.

導致呼吸困難

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

心臟病發作後心臟結疤 累積胞外基質

can inhibit its beating, leading to further heart problems.

會抑制心臟跳動 導致更嚴重的心臟問題

What's common to all these conditions

這些症狀的共通點

is that although it retains some of the original functions,

是雖然器官都能維持 某種程度的原有功能

the scar tissue formed after a wound

但受傷後形成的結疤組織 遠劣於其所取代的原有組織

is inferior to the native tissue it replaces.

However, there is hope.

然而，還是有希望的

Medical researchers are now studying what causes fibroblast cells

醫學研究人員正在研究纖維母細胞

to secrete excessive amounts of collagen

分泌過多膠原蛋白的成因

and how we can recruit the body's other cells

及我們要怎麼招募身體的其他細胞

in regenerating and repopulating the damaged tissue.

再生及重建受損傷的組織

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

藉由了解如何更佳控制傷口癒合 及疤痕組織的形成

we can utilize the multi-billion-dollar budgets

我們能更有效地利用目前用在研究

currently used to address the aftermath of wounding

傷口癒後處理的數十億美元預算

in a much more efficient manner,

and help millions of people live better and healthier lives.

並幫助上百萬人活得更好更健康

But until then, at least some of our scars

但在那之前，我們身上的疤痕

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

至少能幫我們記得 避免去做造成疤痕的事