Somatosensory Organization and Behavior in Naked Mole-Rats: Peripheral Structures, Innervation, and Selective Lack of Neuropeptides Associated with Thermoregulation and Pain

The study investigated the somatosensory organization in naked mole-rats, focusing on their unique body hairs and peripheral innervation. Unlike furred species, naked mole-rats had large, well-innervated body hair follicles but lacked the specialized innervation of facial vibrissae. They also had fewer Aβ-fiber Merkel endings and completely lacked cutaneous C-fibers reactive to substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide. Instead, their hairless skin had an abundance of Aδ-fibers. These adaptations were likely due to their subterranean lifestyle and poikilothermic nature, offering insights into tactile orientation, vascular regulation, and pain mechanisms.