How can human cancer patients potentially benefit from knowledge of the naked mole rat?

Another gene, p16, provides the mole rats with a first line of defense, halting growth when cells first touch. This double whammy defense mechanism appears to help the mole rats stave off cancer. Humans have the p16 gene too, but it plays no known role in contact inhibition in our bodies.

What is one advantage of the naked mole rats long lifespan?

In addition to their noted longevity, they are remarkably resistant to cancer. Naked mole rats also appear to remain spry and healthy even in the final years of their long lives, so they can potentially offer clues not only about longevity but also the overall maintenance of health.

How do naked mole rats help the environment?

Since naked mole rats live underground their entire lives, they are sheltered from the potentially harsh environment outside. Their tunnels act as a temperature buffer and maintain a relatively constant temperature year round.

Why are naked mole rats used in research?

The Naked Mole-Rat Center seeks to gain a better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that the longest-lived rodent, the naked mole-rat (NMR) uses to thwart the aging process and maintain cancer-free good health well into their third decade of life.

How does Hyaluron affect naked mole rats?

Very high molecular weight hyaluronan (vHMW-HA) is found in the naked mole rat. This hyaluronan shields CD44 receptor from interaction with other proteins leading to distinct downstream signaling characterized by cytoprotective effect, suppression of apoptosis.

Does the naked mole-rat age?

With their large buck teeth and wrinkled, hairless bodies, naked mole rats won’t be winning any awards for cutest rodent. But their long life span—they can live up to 30 years, the longest of any rodent—and remarkable resistance to age-related diseases, offer scientists key clues to the mysteries of aging and cancer.

How old is the oldest naked mole-rat?

We report a new record for the world’s longest-lived rodent, a male naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber). On the basis of his weight at capture, this animal was approximately 1 year old when collected near Mtito Andei, Kenya in July/August 1974. He died in April 2002, indicating that he lived for more than 28 years.

Are naked mole-rats harmful?

In a study published last year, scientists showed that naked mole rats can survive oxygen levels that “would be fatal to humans, and fatal to laboratory mice, and probably to everybody else.” At 5 percent oxygen—less than the atmosphere at the top of Mount Everest—researchers expected their squirmy subjects to display …

Do naked mole-rats have a queen?

Only one female in a colony of naked mole-rats produces offspring; this female is called the queen. She mates with only a few of the colony’s males, and these relationships can remain stable for many years.

What did the naked mole-rat evolve from?

Photo by Nikolai Barbel, CC BY-SA 3.0. For a while the general assumption seemed to be that the eusociality of the Naked mole-rat had evolved from the also eusocial but less ‘extreme’ biology of the Cryptomys and Fukomys common mole-rats… or, at least, evolved from common-mole-rat-like mole-rats.

How long do naked mole rats live?

30 years
Naked mole rats (NMRs; Heterocephalus glaber) are the longest-living rodents known, with a maximum lifespan of 30 years–5 times longer than expected on the basis of body size.

What is the function of hyaluronan in the body?

Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is a clear, gooey substance that is naturally produced by your body. The largest amounts of it are found in your skin, connective tissue and eyes. Its main function is to retain water to keep your tissues well lubricated and moist.