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Pain

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...

Nociception

Nociception

Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...

Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones

Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones

Bones are dynamic organs that require a rich supply of oxygen and nutrients. Around 5% to 10% of the cardiac output supplies blood to the bones. A typical long bone has three main sources: the nutrient artery, the metaphyseal and epiphyseal arteries, and the periosteal arteries.
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...

Analgesia and Pain Management

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...

Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers

Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers

Local anesthetics (LAs) block the sodium channels of nerve trunks, sensory nerve endings, and neuromuscular junctions. Although LAs can block all kinds of nerves, the sensitivity of nerve fibers differs according to nerve types and structures. LAs are known to block myelinated fibers faster than unmyelinated ones. Also, they block pain or sensory neurons at low concentrations without affecting the motor neurons involved in muscle contractions. This helps relieve labor pain without affecting the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Establishing a Mouse Model of a Pure Small Fiber Neuropathy with the Ultrapotent Agonist of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1

Establishing a Mouse Model of a Pure Small Fiber Neuropathy with the Ultrapotent Agonist of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1

Published on: February 13, 2018

Pain genes.

Tom Foulkes¹, John N Wood

¹Department of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, National Institute for Medical Research, London, United Kingdom.

|July 26, 2008

Summary

Genetic studies illuminate pain pathways, revealing molecular mechanisms and identifying new drug targets for chronic pain. This research enhances our understanding of the nervous system and pain perception.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Genetics
Immunology

Background:

Pain affects up to 20% of the population, posing significant therapeutic challenges.
Specialized sensory neurons (nociceptors) transmit tissue damage signals to the central nervous system (CNS).
Understanding pain mechanisms is crucial for developing effective treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate pain pathways using genetic approaches.
To identify molecular transducers and regulatory mechanisms involved in pain signaling.
To explore the role of immune cells in pain pathways.

Main Methods:

Genetic studies in model organisms (e.g., transgenic mice).
Analysis of human pain mutants, twin studies, and association studies.

More Related Videos

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice

Published on: July 16, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Establishing a Mouse Model of a Pure Small Fiber Neuropathy with the Ultrapotent Agonist of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1

Establishing a Mouse Model of a Pure Small Fiber Neuropathy with the Ultrapotent Agonist of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1

Published on: February 13, 2018

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice

The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice

Published on: July 16, 2014

Integration with traditional neuroscience methods like electrophysiology and pharmacology.

Main Results:

Identified molecular components of pain transduction and regulation.
Highlighted the critical role of immune system cells in pain pathways.
Validated potential drug targets for chronic pain using mouse models.

Conclusions:

Genetic approaches provide novel insights into the molecular basis of pain perception.
Genetic studies complement traditional neuroscience methods for a comprehensive understanding of pain.
Findings pave the way for improved therapeutic strategies for chronic pain conditions.