Mosquitoes, Meridians, Mast Cells, and More

Does the mere mention of mosquitoes strike fear, anxiety or loathing? Have you ever been drifting off to sleep only to hear that high-pitched buzz and leap into action, scanning the room with superhero-like focus?

But what if mosquitoes are telling us something through where they land and bite us? What if their sensory systems are tuned not only to blood, but also to something deeper – like the qi that flows through acupuncture meridians?

Could mosquito bite patterns be an overlooked demonstration of the subtle energy maps long recorded in East Asian medicine?

I propose that the female mosquito, in her quest for reproduction, may be seeking not only blood, but also qi – the vital energy of East Asian medical tradition. The itchy welts left behind often appear in patterns that resemble meridians, hinting at an interaction between ancient energetic pathways and modern biology.

Mosquito Mapping System

Mosquitoes navigate using a refined array of cues: visual (movement, dark colors), olfactory (CO₂, body odor, heat, humidity), and possibly even genetic and microbial skin signals. These guide their orientation, landing, and eventually, biting. Recent studies have expanded our understanding of mosquito attractants, showing how mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti can discriminate between blood and floral nectar, relying on sensory mechanisms tuned for both.^1-2

Research by Jove, et al. (2020),¹ challenged the long-held belief that female mosquitoes seek blood solely for reproductive proteins. Their study showed that feeding behavior can be triggered by a mix of sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate and ATP – without needing blood proteins.

Most critically, ATP (adenosine triphosphate) acts as a phagostimulant, akin to a flavor enhancer for mosquitoes. While proteins are necessary for egg development, ATP is necessary to initiate feeding. No ATP, no bite – even with the rest of the nutrients present.

This finding opens an interesting possibility: Mosquitoes are drawn to biochemical markers of energy and metabolism, not just blood. And this brings us to qi.

Meridians, Qi & Biomedicine

Many studies have tried to validate the existence of meridians and qi using modern scientific methods. Research now points to a correlation between acupuncture meridians and connective-tissue structure, interstitial fluid channels, and biochemical activity.

Key findings include:

• Connective tissue and interstitial fluid may provide the anatomical substrate for meridians.^3-4
• High concentrations of mast cells are found at acupuncture points. These can release ATP and calcium upon stimulation.^4-6
• Elevated levels of calcium and CO₂ along meridians suggest higher metabolic activity and ATP presence.^4,7-8
• De qi sensations (the distinctive feeling during acupuncture) may involve mechanotransduction of biochemical and bioelectrical signals.⁹

Interestingly, the East Asian medical concept of zhen qi – formed from air (kong qi) and food energy/glucose (gu qi) – is chemically analogous to the formula for cellular respiration in biochemistry:¹⁰

6O₂ + C₆H₁₂O₆ » ATP + 6C0₂ + H₂O

(Kong Qi + Gu Qi » Zhen Qi)

Zhen qi includes yang qi (nourishing, blood-related) and wei qi (protective, defensive), both of which may correspond with the physiological activity in meridians. If mosquitoes are drawn to ATP and regions of high metabolic activity, could they be sensing qi?

Mast Cells, Meridians and Mosquitoes

When a mosquito bites, it may inadvertently stimulate clusters of mast cells found along acupuncture meridians. These mast cells release histamine (causing welts) and ATP – the same biochemical attractant that encourages mosquito feeding. This ATP may be consumed before it triggers the full neurological effects typically associated with acupuncture (such as propagated sensations).  The remaining histamine reaction might correspond to the presence of wei qi performing its protective function.

In this view, mosquito bite patterns are not random, but selective. Mosquitoes may seek areas of heightened nutritive or energetic appeal, perhaps guided by elevated ATP and biochemical signatures of qi. “X marks the spot” could be more than coincidence – it might be a convergence of ancient energetics and insect physiology.

A New Path for Research

Long before modern science identified ATP, mast cells or the interstitial fluid system, ancient East Asian medicine documented the flow of qi through meridians. Now, mosquitoes – driven by evolutionary precision – might offer a novel biological lens through which to observe qi in action.

Further research on mosquito bite distribution, correlated with acupuncture meridians and metabolic markers, could illuminate the material basis of qi and contribute to diagnostic and therapeutic innovations. Perhaps, in the buzzing of the mosquito, there is an unlikely ally helping us trace the pathways of the body’s energy.

References

1. Jové V, Gong Z, Hol F JH, et al. Sensory discrimination of blood and floral nectar by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Neuron, 2020;108(6):1163-1180.e12.
2. Dormont L, Mulatier M, Carrasco D, Cohuet A. Mosquito attractants. J Chem Ecol, 2021;47.
3. Wang J, Wu JP, Lu CM, et al. [Three-dimensional reconstruction of the meridians with an MRI picture in the upper limb of humans.] Zhongguo Zhen Jiu (Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion), 2010;30(2):125-128.
4. Li J, Wang Q, Liang H, et al. Biophysical characteristics of meridians and acupoints: a systematic review. Evid-Based Compl Alt Med, 2012:e793841.
5. Yao W, Yang H, Yin N, Ding G. Mast cell-nerve cell interaction at acupoint: Modeling mechanotransduction pathway induced by acupuncture. Int J Biol Sci, 2014;10(5):511-519.
6. Li YM. The neuroimmune basis of acupuncture: Correlation of cutaneous mast cell distribution with acupuncture systems in humans. Am J Chinese Med, 2019;47(8):1781-1793.
7. Zhang WB, Tian YY, Zhu ZX, Xu RM. The distribution of transcutaneous CO2 emission and correlation with the points along the pericardium meridian. J Acu Meridian Studies, 2009;2(3):197-201.
8. Guo Y, Xu T, Chen J, et al. [The study on calcium ion concentration specificity in meridian and acupoint in rabbits.] Zhen Ci Yan Jiu (Acupuncture Research), 1991;16(1):66-68.
9. Langevin HM, Yandow JA. Relationship of acupuncture points and meridians to connective tissue planes. Anatomical Record, 2002;269(6):257-265.
10. Rakel D, Faass N. Complementary Medicine in Clinical Practice: Integrative Practice in American Healthcare. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2006.