An Itch You Can’t Scratch: Researchers Find “Itch Receptors” in the Throats of Mice

Working with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers report they have found previously known skin itch receptors in the airways that appear to contribute to bronchoconstriction and airway hypersensitivity, hallmarks of asthma and other respiratory disorders. The investigators' experiments in mice suggest that the receptors' activation directly aggravates airway constriction and—if the same process is active in people—may be a promising new target for the development of drug therapies.

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