African naked mole rats never cease to amaze. Not only are they exceedingly ugly, but they are the longest living rodents. Moreover, none have ever been observed to get cancer. And they are the only known vertebrates that are not bothered by acid. A report in this week’s Science explains the molecular basis underlying this acid insensitivity, and suggests that it might be an adaptation to their oxygen-poor living conditions..
Acid causes pain by activating nociceptors, proton-triggered ion channels that activate neurons. This recent study compared acid receptors from naked mole rats and mice, and found that they were not all that different. Similar numbers of each receptor were found in the respective animals, and acid evoked similar levels of current through them.
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