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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...
Glial Cells01:04

Glial Cells

Overview
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

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...
Chronic Inflammation: Introduction01:12

Chronic Inflammation: Introduction

Chronic inflammation is a prolonged, dysregulated immune response that persists for weeks to years when the inciting stimulus is difficult to eradicate or when self‑antigens drive ongoing reactivity. Morphologically, it is defined by mononuclear cell infiltration, progressive tissue destruction, and concurrent attempts at healing via angiogenesis and fibrosis. Compared with acute inflammation, edema is less prominent while cellular infiltration predominates; triggers include persistent...
Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology01:25

Secondary Spinal Cord Injury llI: Pathophysiology

Early Ischemia and Ionic ImbalanceWithin minutes of spinal cord injury, a secondary cascade begins, progressing over hours to weeks. Vascular damage reduces blood flow, causing ischemia and mitochondrial dysfunction. ATP depletion leads to ion pump failure, membrane depolarization, sodium influx, potassium efflux, and water accumulation, resulting in cellular swelling. Increased intracellular calcium further disrupts mitochondria and accelerates cellular injury.Excitotoxicity and Neuronal...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Preparation of Acute Spinal Cord Slices for Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recording in Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons
08:30

Preparation of Acute Spinal Cord Slices for Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recording in Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons

Published on: January 18, 2019

Spinal glia and chronic pain.

James P O'Callaghan1, Diane B Miller

  • 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA. jdo5@cdc.gov

Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental
|September 15, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Glial cells, not just neurons, play a key role in chronic pain by releasing inflammatory signals. Targeting these glial cells offers a promising new avenue for effective chronic pain therapeutics.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Chronic pain management remains challenging due to incomplete understanding of its mechanisms.
  • Traditional pain therapeutics primarily target neuronal pathways, with limited success.
  • Recent research highlights the role of non-neuronal cells, specifically glia, in pain signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the involvement of glial cells in the initiation and maintenance of chronic pain.
  • To investigate glial-derived signaling molecules as modulators of spinal cord pain pathways.
  • To identify glia as potential novel therapeutic targets for chronic pain treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental modeling of chronic pain via nerve manipulations (cutting, crushing, ligation).

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Patch Clamp Recordings on Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia from Adult Rats
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Patch Clamp Recordings on Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia from Adult Rats

Published on: September 29, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Preparation of Acute Spinal Cord Slices for Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recording in Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons
08:30

Preparation of Acute Spinal Cord Slices for Whole-cell Patch-clamp Recording in Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons

Published on: January 18, 2019

Patch Clamp Recordings on Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia from Adult Rats
12:00

Patch Clamp Recordings on Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia from Adult Rats

Published on: September 29, 2016

  • Analysis of cellular and molecular responses in the spinal cord dorsal horn.
  • Investigation of glial cell (microglia and astrocytes) activation states and their contribution to pain.

    • Main Results:

    • Glial cells, including microglia and astrocytes, become activated in response to nerve injury models.
    • Glial-derived proinflammatory mediators in the spinal cord dorsal horn contribute to self-perpetuating pain.
    • Glial cell activation may underlie opioid tolerance and withdrawal hyperalgesia.

    Conclusions:

    • Glia are implicated in the complex mechanisms of chronic pain.
    • Glial cells represent promising novel therapeutic targets for chronic pain.
    • Further research into glial biology is needed to develop effective treatments that modulate glial activity without impairing beneficial functions.