Boogerlogy

Normal nasal mucus lines the epithelial surface of the nostrils, providing an important innate immune function by detoxifying noxious molecules and by trapping and removing pathogens and particulates from the nose via mucociliary clearance and more significantly by nose picking. This pursuit can be witnessed at all traffic signals globally.

In Delhi, litter-bugs that we are, the excavated crusted or gelled nasal product is first examined visually, rolled between the index finger and thumb and either dropped on the tarmac or flicked on the body of the adjoining car.

The major macromolecular constituents of normal mucus, the mucin glycoproteins, are large, heavily glycosylated proteins with a defining feature of tandemly repeating sequences of amino acids rich in serine and threonine, the linkage sites for large carbohydrate structures.

Flow Chart of Boogerification

Mucus also has antioxidant, antiprotease, and antimicrobial activities. The gel forming mucins are the principal polymeric components of normal mucus. 

The consitency of boogers depends on environmental factors to a large extent. In summer and in air-conditioned environs the booger is crusted. However, in humid climes the same booger has a more viscous gel-like consistency.