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Related Concept Videos

Nociception01:44

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...
Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways01:29

Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways

Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...
Pain01:20

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...
Opioid Receptors: Overview01:22

Opioid Receptors: Overview

Opioid receptors, including the mu (μ, MOR), delta (δ, DOR), and kappa (κ, KOR) types, belong to the rhodopsin family of G protein-coupled receptors. These receptors are located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and in non-neuronal tissues such as macrophages and astrocytes. Opioid receptor ligands can be categorized into agonists or antagonists. Highly selective agonists include [d-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly(ol)5]-enkephalin or DAMGO for MOR, [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]-enkephalin or DPDPE for...
Introduction to Sensory Receptors01:31

Introduction to Sensory Receptors

Sensory receptors are vital in our ability to perceive and interpret the world. Sensory receptors are specialized cells in the peripheral nervous system that respond to various stimuli and enable one to experience different sensations. Based on specific criteria, sensory receptors are classified into distinct types.
The first classification criterion is based on cell type, position, and function. Some receptor cells are neurons with free nerve endings, where their dendrites are embedded in the...
Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive functions.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Novel Assay for Cold Nociception in Drosophila Larvae
06:52

Novel Assay for Cold Nociception in Drosophila Larvae

Published on: April 3, 2017

Nociceptors: a phylogenetic view.

Ewan St John Smith1, Gary R Lewin

  • 1Department of Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany. ewan.smith@mdc-berlin.de

Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
|October 16, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Animals possess nociceptors, specialized sensory neurons, to detect and respond to harmful stimuli. Studying these "detect and protect" systems reveals conserved molecular mechanisms across diverse species, aiding survival.

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Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Novel Assay for Cold Nociception in Drosophila Larvae
06:52

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Published on: April 3, 2017

Local and Global Methods of Assessing Thermal Nociception in Drosophila Larvae
10:53

Local and Global Methods of Assessing Thermal Nociception in Drosophila Larvae

Published on: May 18, 2012

An Improved Assay and Tools for Measuring Mechanical Nociception in Drosophila Larvae
07:17

An Improved Assay and Tools for Measuring Mechanical Nociception in Drosophila Larvae

Published on: October 29, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Comparative physiology
  • Neuroscience
  • Evolutionary biology

Background:

  • Environmental reactivity is vital for organism survival, necessitating the detection and response to aversive stimuli.
  • Nociceptors, specialized sensory afferents, form an innate "detect and protect" system present in most animals.
  • Nociceptor sensitization following injury enhances protection through increased sensitivity and neural circuit plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the known characteristics of nociceptors across the Animalia kingdom.
  • To highlight conserved similarities in nociception and nociceptor function among different animal phyla.
  • To focus on the molecular underpinnings, particularly ion channels, of nociceptor activity.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on nociception and nociceptors in diverse model organisms.
  • Analysis of research employing genetic manipulation techniques, particularly in mice.
  • Comparative analysis of molecular mechanisms, with an emphasis on ion channels.

Main Results:

  • Nociception and nociceptor function exhibit conserved features from invertebrates to vertebrates, including humans.
  • Genetic manipulation technologies have elucidated key molecular players involved in nociceptor function.
  • Similarities in nociceptor mechanisms across phyla are evident at the molecular level, especially concerning ion channels.

Conclusions:

  • Nociceptors represent a fundamental sensory system for survival across the animal kingdom.
  • Conserved molecular components, especially ion channels, underpin nociceptor function across diverse animal phyla.
  • Further research into these conserved mechanisms can provide insights into pain perception and therapeutic targets.