Chitin, a structural molecule associated with allergy response, is identified in vertebrates
Sunday, March 15, 2015 - 16:00
in Biology & Nature
An unexpected discovery overturns a longstanding belief in the biological sciences. The research demonstrates that chitin, a molecule that was previously thought to be absent in vertebrates and that has been shown to trigger an allergy/immune reaction in mammals, is endogenously produced in fishes and amphibians.