Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Thermosensation01:43

Thermosensation

29.7K
Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
29.7K
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

6.6K
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...
6.6K
Pain01:20

Pain

2.1K
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...
2.1K
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

3.4K
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...
3.4K
Nociception01:44

Nociception

28.4K
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.
28.4K
Non-gated Ion Channels01:24

Non-gated Ion Channels

7.3K
Ion channels are specialized proteins on the plasma membrane that allow charged ions to pass down their electrochemical gradient. Their main function is to maintain the membrane potential which is critical for cell viability. These channels are either gated or non-gated and can transport more than a thousand ions within milliseconds for the cellular event to occur.
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism....
7.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Parasites trigger epithelial cell crosstalk to drive gut-brain signalling.

Nature·2026
Same author

Structural energetics of cold sensitivity.

Nature·2026
Same author

A cellular basis for heightened gut sensitivity in females.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025
Same author

Mitochondrial activity tunes nociceptor resilience to excitotoxicity.

Cell·2025
Same author

The structural basis of cold sensitivity.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

A Cellular Basis for Heightened Gut Sensitivity in Females.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same journal

Hidden Messages in Extracellular Vesicles: Cross-Kingdom RNA Communication in Plant and Microbe Interactions.

Annual review of cell and developmental biology·2026
Same journal

mRNA-Scaffolded Cytoplasmic Compartments.

Annual review of cell and developmental biology·2026
Same journal

Developmental Programming of Human Kidney Function.

Annual review of cell and developmental biology·2026
Same journal

The Translation of Genetic Information in Neurodevelopment.

Annual review of cell and developmental biology·2026
Same journal

The Origin and Early Evolution of Fungi: Challenges, Inferences, and Principles.

Annual review of cell and developmental biology·2026
Same journal

Interstitial Spaces: A Basolateral Source of Structure and Signals.

Annual review of cell and developmental biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice
08:35

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice

Published on: March 17, 2015

14.8K

TRP channels and pain.

David Julius1

  • 1Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158;

Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology
|October 9, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Natural compounds reveal transient receptor potential (TRP) channels as key detectors in nociception, the process of sensing pain. Understanding these pain pathways aids in developing novel analgesic drugs.

More Related Videos

Intracerebroventricular Treatment with Resiniferatoxin and Pain Tests in Mice
06:04

Intracerebroventricular Treatment with Resiniferatoxin and Pain Tests in Mice

Published on: September 2, 2020

7.9K
Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats
07:12

Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats

Published on: January 21, 2020

7.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 7, 2026

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice
08:35

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice

Published on: March 17, 2015

14.8K
Intracerebroventricular Treatment with Resiniferatoxin and Pain Tests in Mice
06:04

Intracerebroventricular Treatment with Resiniferatoxin and Pain Tests in Mice

Published on: September 2, 2020

7.9K
Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats
07:12

Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats

Published on: January 21, 2020

7.1K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Nociception involves primary afferent nerve fibers detecting noxious stimuli.
  • Pungent irritants from plants are pharmacological tools for studying pain sensation.
  • Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels are involved in detecting thermal and chemical stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Identify molecules and mechanisms of the initial step of pain sensation.
  • Validate nociceptors as specialized somatosensory neurons.
  • Provide a foundation for developing new analgesic drugs.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing natural products (pepper, mint, mustard) as pharmacological tools.
  • Analyzing the function and expression of TRP channels (TRPV1, TRPM8, TRPA1).
  • Conducting biophysical and pharmacological characterization of TRP channels.

Main Results:

  • TRPV1, TRPM8, and TRPA1 channels identified as molecular detectors of noxious stimuli.
  • TRP channel studies validated nociceptors as specialized sensory neurons.
  • Insights gained into nociception coding and nociceptor subtype specification.

Conclusions:

  • TRP channels are crucial molecular detectors in nociception.
  • Understanding TRP channel function aids in discriminating noxious stimuli.
  • TRP channel research provides a basis for novel analgesic drug development.