New research reveals that biomaterials inspired by mucus biology can effectively block Salmonella from infecting cells.
Antibiotics damage the gut’s mucus barrier in mice, leading to microbes contacting epithelial cells and triggering inflammation. This suggests that understanding mucus biology and exploring biomaterials for restoring mucus might help mitigate gut injury.
The article reports on how mucus actually serves vital roles in health, such as trapping and taming pathogens. Understanding the fundamentals of mucus biology may, in turn, inspire new mucus-mimetic biomaterials for infection prevention.
This podcast on mucus biology discusses how mucus, phlegm, and snot (often dismissed as waste) serve as powerful defenders in our bodies, playing crucial roles in tissue protection across multiple organs.
Cervical mucus is not passive; it plays a vital role as a protective, selective 'gatekeeper' in women's health, balancing fertility, microbial health, and defense at the body’s interface.
Scientists have discovered that specific sugar molecules (glycans) present in mucus play a crucial role in regulating fungal behavior. These molecules help prevent pathogenic overgrowth while maintaining microbial balance. This finding has implications for women's health and the development of biomaterials that can enhance these natural defenses.
Scientists found that sugars attached to the mucin polymers in mucus can actively suppress harmful microbes, not merely trap them, revealing an underappreciated defensive role for mucus and related biomaterials.
Mucus plays vital, active roles beyond lubrication — it hydrates tissues, supports beneficial microbes, and traps pathogens across the body. Understanding these functions is crucial for developing biomaterials that can enhance whole-body health by mimicking mucus biology.
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