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From the slime coating slugs to the saliva in our mouths, many slippery bodily fluids contain mucus. So how did this marvel of biology evolve? In mammals, the answer is many times, and often in a surprising way, according to a new study on proteins called mucins. These molecules have a variety of functions, but as a family, they are known as components of mucus, where they contribute to the substance’s gooey consistency.