how do deep sea creatures survive the pressure

Deep sea creatures survive the extreme pressure of their environment primarily through specialized adaptations at molecular, cellular, and structural levels. Their bodies are mostly water, which is incompressible, so external pressure does not crush them. They lack air pockets like lungs that would be compressed, and instead have flexible, less calcified skeletons made of cartilage allowing compression without breaking. Their cell membranes have special molecules like trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) that stabilize proteins and maintain cellular function under high pressure. Additionally, deep-sea fish and other marine animals can force gases from lungs into their bloodstream to avoid lung collapse at extreme depths. These combined adaptations allow them to withstand pressures up to 1,000 times greater than at the surface without being crushed.