Monday, March 4, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Gut Bacteria
GUT BACTERIA GOOD FOR YOU
In a new study, US scientists say that gut bacteria form part of a complex system that maintains the body's blood pressure. They discovered a specialized odor-sensing receptor normally present in the nose can also be found in blood vessels throughout the body. In the gut, the receptor reacts to small molecules generated by bacteria by raising blood pressure. The study may aid understanding of how antibiotics, probiotics, and changes in diet affect blood pressure. Jennifer Pluznick, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says they were surprised to find that gut microbes contribute to blood pressure regulation and health:
"There is still much to learn about this mechanism, but we now know some of the players and how they interact," she explains.
Olfactory receptors are proteins usually found on the surfaces of cells. They bind and react to selective molecules, in the way that a lock can only be opened by a specific key. The specific molecules are chemical signals that direct the cell to do something, such as divide, die, or allow specific materials to enter or exit the cell. A few years ago, Pluznick found odor-sensing receptors (thought to exist only in the nose) in the kidneys, an event she describes as a "happy coincidence".
"There is still much to learn about this mechanism, but we now know some of the players and how they interact," she explains.
Olfactory receptors are proteins usually found on the surfaces of cells. They bind and react to selective molecules, in the way that a lock can only be opened by a specific key. The specific molecules are chemical signals that direct the cell to do something, such as divide, die, or allow specific materials to enter or exit the cell. A few years ago, Pluznick found odor-sensing receptors (thought to exist only in the nose) in the kidneys, an event she describes as a "happy coincidence".
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