Nociceptors: the sensors of the pain pathway

2010/11/01 by Adrienne E. Dubin, Ardem Patapoutian · 1 citation
Medicine · Neuroscience · #Pain Mechanisms and Treatments #Ion Channels and Receptors #Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research #Nociceptor #Neuroscience #Sensory system #Nociception #Medicine #Biology #Receptor #Internal medicine

paper · pdf · doi:10.1172/jci42843

openalex publication_date 2010/11/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

Specialized peripheral sensory neurons known as nociceptors alert us to potentially damaging stimuli at the skin by detecting extremes in temperature and pressure and injury-related chemicals, and transducing these stimuli into long-ranging electrical signals that are relayed to higher brain centers. The activation of functionally distinct cutaneous nociceptor populations and the processing of information they convey provide a rich diversity of pain qualities. Current work in this field is providing researchers with a more thorough understanding of nociceptor cell biology at molecular and systems levels and insight that will allow the targeted design of novel pain therapeutics.

Citations

• Novel classes of responsive and unresponsive C nociceptors in human skin
• Nociceptors—Noxious Stimulus Detectors
• Excitation and sensitization of nociceptors by bradykinin: what do we know?
• Patterns of activity-dependent conduction velocity changes differentiate classes of unmyelinated mechano-insensitive afferents including cold nociceptors, in pig and in human
• Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Pain
• Phenotype and Function of Somatic Primary Afferent Nociceptive Neurones with C‐, Aδ‐ or Aα/β‐Fibres
• Models and Mechanisms of Hyperalgesia and Allodynia
• Nociceptors: a phylogenetic view
• The mechano‐activated K+ channels TRAAK and TREK‐1 control both warm and cold perception
• Cellular Mechanisms of Neurogenic Inflammation

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• Headache [wikipedia]