万物简史 第539期:令人惊叹的细胞(3)

 Surprises at the cellular¹ level turn up all the time. 细胞世界所发生的令人惊讶的事总是层出不穷。

In nature, nitric oxide² is a formidable toxin³ and a common component⁴ of air pollution. 在大自然中，一氧化二氮是一种极为可怕的有毒气体，它是造成空气污染的罪魁之一。

So scientists were naturally a little surprised when, in the mid-1980s, they found it being produced in a curiously⁵ devoted⁶ manner in human cells. 20世纪80年代中，科学家们发现人类细胞中不断产生这种气体的时候，自然感到有点儿吃惊。

Its purpose was at first a mystery, 一开始，科学家对它的作用感到很困惑，

but then scientists began to find it all over the place—controlling the flow of blood and the energy levels of cells, 但接着就发现它无处不在——控制血液的流量和细胞的能量水平呀，

attacking cancers and other pathogens, regulating the sense of smell, even assisting in penile erections. 进攻癌症及其他病原体呀，调节嗅觉呀，甚至帮助阴茎勃起。

It also explained why nitroglycerine, the well-known explosive, soothes⁷ the heart pain known as angina. 这也解释了为什么硝酸甘油，即人们所熟知的炸药，能够缓解心绞痛。

(It is converted into nitric oxide in the bloodstream, relaxing the muscle linings⁸ of vessels⁹, allowing blood to flow more freely.) （它在血液中转换为一氧化二氮，使得血管内壁的肌肉放松，血液就可更顺畅地通过了）。

In barely the space of a decade this one gassy substance went from extraneous¹⁰ toxin to ubiquitous elixir¹¹. 在不到10年的时间里，这种气体从大自然中的一种外在毒素成了人体内无处不在的灵丹妙药。

You possess "some few hundred" different types of cell, according to the Belgian biochemist Christian¹² de Duve, 根据比利时生物化学家克里斯蒂安·德迪夫的统计，你拥有“约几百种”不同的细胞，

and they vary enormously in size and shape, from nerve cells whose filaments¹³ can stretch to several feet 它们的大小和形状有显著的不同：神经细胞呈线状，可以伸展到l米长；

to tiny, disc-shaped red blood cells to the rodshaped photocells that help to give us vision. 红细胞呈盘状；而帮助给我们视觉的光电细胞呈杆状。

They also come in a sumptuously¹⁴ wide range of sizes—nowhere more strikingly than at the moment of conception, 细胞的大小也差别很大——给人印象最深刻的莫过于怀孕的那一刻，

when a single beating sperm¹⁵ confronts an egg eighty-five thousand times bigger than it 一个不甘示弱的精子竟然迎向比它大85000倍的卵子

(which rather puts the notion of male conquest into perspective). （这是男人征服欲的形象化表现）。

 

1 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

2 oxide   

n.氧化物

参考例句：

• Oxide is usually seen in our daily life.在我们的日常生活中氧化物很常见。
• How can you get rid of this oxide coating?你们该怎样除去这些氧化皮？

3 toxin   

n.毒素，毒质

参考例句：

• Experts have linked this condition to a build-up of toxins in the body.专家已把这一病症与体内毒素的积累联系起来。
• Tests showed increased levels of toxin in shellfish.检验表明水生有壳动物的毒素水平提高了。

4 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

5 curiously   

adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地

参考例句：

• He looked curiously at the people.他好奇地看着那些人。
• He took long stealthy strides. His hands were curiously cold.他迈着悄没声息的大步。他的双手出奇地冷。

6 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

7 soothes   

v.安慰( soothe的第三人称单数 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦

参考例句：

• Fear grasps, love lets go. Fear rankles, love soothes. 恐惧使人痛心，爱使痛苦减轻。 来自互联网
• His loe celebrates her victories and soothes her wounds. 他的爱庆祝她的胜利，也抚平她的创伤。 来自互联网

8 linings   

n.衬里( lining的名词复数 )；里子；衬料；组织

参考例句：

• a pair of leather gloves with fur linings 一双毛皮衬里的皮手套
• Many of the garments have the customers' name tags sewn into the linings. 这些衣服有很多内衬上缝有顾客的姓名签。 来自辞典例句

9 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 extraneous   

adj.体外的；外来的；外部的

参考例句：

• I can choose to ignore these extraneous thoughts.我可以选择无视这些外来的想法。
• Reductant from an extraneous source is introduced.外来的还原剂被引进来。

11 elixir   

n.长生不老药，万能药

参考例句：

• There is no elixir of life in the world.世界上没有长生不老药。
• Keep your mind awake and active;that's the only youth elixir.保持头脑清醒和灵活便是保持年轻的唯一灵丹妙药。

12 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

13 filaments   

n.（电灯泡的）灯丝( filament的名词复数 )；丝极；细丝；丝状物

参考例句：

• Instead, sarcomere shortening occurs when the thin filaments'slide\" by the thick filaments. 此外，肌节的缩短发生于细肌丝沿粗肌丝“滑行”之际。 来自辞典例句
• Wetting-force data on filaments of any diameter and shape can easily obtained. 各种直径和形状的长丝的润湿力数据是易于测量的。 来自辞典例句

14 sumptuously   

奢侈地，豪华地

参考例句：

• The hall was sumptuously decorated. 大厅装饰得富丽堂皇。
• This government building is sumptuously appointed. 这座政府办公大楼布置得极为豪华。

15 sperm   

n.精子，精液

参考例句：

• Only one sperm fertilises an egg.只有一个精子使卵子受精。
• In human reproduction,one female egg is usually fertilized by one sperm.在人体生殖过程中，一个精子使一个卵子受精。