Chapter 10: Q25P (page 320)
Most animals have neurons that respond to unfavorable environmental conditions by sending pain signals to the brain. For example, elevated CO2 triggers an influx Na+ that opens voltage-gated Na channels to initiate an action potential. The naked mole-rat (Section8-2D), which lives in crowded underground colonies, has a voltage-gated Na+ channel that is inhibited by protons. Explain why this is advantageous.
Short Answer
This allows the animals to tolerate the highly crowded colonies.