(gentle instrumental music) - [ashlee] this is the grasshopper mouse. it has cinnamon-colored fur and weighs approximately 25 grams making it only slightly smaller than the average pet hamster. it's a native mammal of the deserts in the southwesternunited states and mexico where it shares its habitatwith the bark scorpion.
(dramatic instrumental music) its large black eyes are an adaptation to its nocturnal lifestyle. but, it mostly relies on its lightening-fast reflexes to survive which it uses to hunt and eat scorpions. but, what really makesthis mouse interesting is its ability to immediately turn toxins from scorpion venom into painkillers.
the mice have evolved the ability to be stung multiple times, but to remain relatively unfazed and continue attacking the scorpion. not only is the mouse unfazed, but it actually feels lesspain after being stung. research at michiganstate university focuses on how this happens on a molecular level. pain signals are mainly regulated
by a couple of sodium channels. when the channels open, mammals like house miceand humans feel pain. but, when the grasshopper mouse is stung, the scorpion toxin bonds toone of the sodium channels and closes it so thatthe mouse feels no pain. now, as far as we know, this is unique to grasshopper mice. this research has applicationsfor human medicine.
if medicines could bedeveloped to interact with merely a singlesodium channel in humans, then analgesics could bemade to alleviate pain without any side effects.
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