Do you have a New Year’s goal of being more organized? I do. I’m reviewing my database of scientific articles to see what I’ve saved over the years, and to improve how I tag them for future retrieval. In the process, I re-discovered an article that I’ll tell you about here. 

It has long been known that changes in atmospheric pressure can trigger migraines, sinus congestion, or joint pain. But how does the body sense that change?

Researchers took various cells from the skin, separated them into different types and cultured them, then subjected them to increased atmospheric pressure. Only one type of cell responded - the keratinocyte, the cell responsible for creating the barrier between the skin and the outside world. The article’s author speculated that humans do not have fur because it would interfere with the function of these pressure-sensing cells.

SOURCE: Kojima H., Seidle T., Spielmann H. Alternatives to Animal Testing, Springer, Singapore DOI: 10.1007/978-981-13-2447-5_3. ISBN: 978-981-13-2446-8.

Does this have any immediate importance to my life or yours? No, but it’s fun. I find the human body fascinating, and I am happy that someone is out there researching this topic. 

If you’d like to read the article for yourself, go here.