Scientists from the University of California, San Francisco are just itching to let the world know what they found in a study about when and why we scratch.

It’s only natural: If you feel an itch, you want to scratch it. At some point our body tells our brain that the itch has been satisfied.

Scientists haven’t always understood just how these signals are sent within the body.

The recent study makes headway in answering that question. Researchers focused on an immune protein known as IL-31.

Scientists already knew that the protein is responsible for signaling an itch.

The new research shows that the compound not only triggers the urge to scratch, it limits inflammation by communicating with neurons. This prevents the itch from spiraling out of control and tamps down the immune system response.

The study’s lead author says this is the first time the body’s nervous system has been observed combating an allergic response.

The findings lay the foundation for the next generation of drugs that could interact more intelligently with the body’s self-regulation systems.

Also of note: While IL-31 is behind that itchy feeling in our skin, it’s also present in the lungs and gut. Researchers aren’t sure why that is.

The study’s results are expected to lead to new approaches in how clinicians treat conditions like allergies, eczema, asthma and Crohn’s, among others.

There’s no way to know where this greater understanding of the IL-31 compound will lead. For now, scientists have only scratched the surface.