"Pinkerton's group had previously shown that rats exposed to secondhand smoke while in the womb and after birth developed hyper-reactive, or "ticklish," airways, which typically occurs in children and adults with asthma."
They are saying a 'direct exposure' to the unborns lungs.
Not possible.
Why would 'ticklish' airways develop in an unborn rat?
CHEMICALS. CHEMICALS. CHEMICALS. CHEMICALS. CHEMICALS.
1. Mammal bodies have a myriad of a diversity of types of cells.
2. Specific cells and specific cell types have specific sensitivities and extra sensitivities to specific chemicals and specific chemical compounds--INCLUDING THE 100'S OF CARCINOGENS IN SMOKE--1ST HAND AND 2ND HAND.
THOSE ARE JUST BASIC--ACTUALLY--VERY, VERY, VERY BASIC FACTS.
3. Specific chemical sensitivities of lung cells are rather well documented. DENIAL DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACTS.
4. Delivery of the offending chemicals and chemical compounds to the cell sites can happen via blood AT LEAST.
Sigh.
"Why would 'ticklish' airways develop in an unborn rat?"
Better yet, how would they track or find that condition in an unborn rat?