A Cftr-independent, Ano1-rich seawater-adaptive ionocyte in sea lamprey gills.

Summary: Imagine drinking saltwater to survive; that is essentially what marine fish do. To stay healthy, they must pump out the excess salt. For decades, scientists believed almost all ocean fish used the same specific protein "pump" (called CFTR, the same protein involved in Cystic Fibrosis) to remove chloride. However, researchers have discovered that the Sea Lamprey—an ancient, eel-like fish—is a biological rebel. Instead of using the standard CFTR pump, the lamprey relies on a completely different channel called Ano1. Even more surprising, this channel is located on the opposite side of the cell than expected. This discovery reveals that nature has evolved more than one way to handle salt, offering a glimpse into a unique survival strategy of one of the ocean's oldest residents.