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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Intravital Two-Photon Imaging of Touch Sensory Axon Morphology in Mouse Skin
Published on: December 30, 2025
Molecular genetic visualization of a rare subset of unmyelinated sensory neurons that may detect gentle touch
Qin Liu1, Sophia Vrontou, Frank L Rice
1The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 725 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA.
Abstract:
C-fiber tactile afferents are a subpopulation of unmyelinated cutaneous sensory neurons activated by gentle stroking. Using a genetically encoded tracer, we found that Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor B4 marks a rare subpopulation of unmyelinated, nonpeptidergic sensory fibers that exclusively innervate hairy skin. These fibers terminate in large arborizations similar in size and distribution to C-fiber tactile afferent receptive fields, suggesting that MrgprB4 may provide genetic access to these elusive neurons in mice.
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