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

Nociception01:44

Nociception

29.5K
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.
29.5K
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

803
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...
803
Pain01:20

Pain

631
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...
631
Sensory Functions of the Skin01:16

Sensory Functions of the Skin

5.8K
The skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays a crucial role in our sensory perception. It contains a vast network of sensory receptors that contribute to the skin's protective function by perceiving physical, biological, and environmental cues and generating relevant responses.
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...
5.8K
Opioid Receptors: Overview01:22

Opioid Receptors: Overview

1.8K
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,...
1.8K
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

6.7K
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...
6.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The Role of Vitamin D in Neuropathic Pain: Biological Mechanisms and Clinical Relevance.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
Same author

IL-23 blockade: A strategy for managing pain-related inflammatory diseases.

International review of cell and molecular biology·2026
Same author

Neuropathic Pain: Mapping the miRNA Landscape.

Non-coding RNA·2026
Same author

Mas-Related G-Protein-Coupled Receptors: Emerging Roles in Neuropathic Pain.

Biomolecules·2026
Same author

Moving Toward Objective Diagnosis in Fibromyalgia: Emerging Biomarkers and Digital Phenotyping Tools.

Biomedicines·2026
Same author

Glial Cell Dynamics in Neuroinflammation: Mechanisms, Interactions, and Therapeutic Implications.

Biomedicines·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Sensory Nerve Fibers Innervating Skin and Limb Bones
10:25

Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Sensory Nerve Fibers Innervating Skin and Limb Bones

Published on: January 26, 2012

23.3K

Injury-Driven Structural and Molecular Modifications in Nociceptors.

Mario García-Domínguez1,2,3

  • 1Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, CIMA-Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.

Biology
|July 29, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Peripheral tissue injury causes structural and molecular changes in pain-sensing neurons (nociceptors), leading to acute and chronic pain. Understanding these changes offers new therapeutic targets for neuropathic pain.

Keywords:
excitabilitynerve injurynerve remodellingnociceptorpainplasticity

More Related Videos

Modified Spared Nerve Injury Surgery Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice
04:34

Modified Spared Nerve Injury Surgery Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice

Published on: January 25, 2022

5.3K
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

14.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 13, 2025

Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Sensory Nerve Fibers Innervating Skin and Limb Bones
10:25

Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Sensory Nerve Fibers Innervating Skin and Limb Bones

Published on: January 26, 2012

23.3K
Modified Spared Nerve Injury Surgery Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice
04:34

Modified Spared Nerve Injury Surgery Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice

Published on: January 25, 2022

5.3K
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

14.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pain Research
  • Cellular Biology

Background:

  • Peripheral tissue injury triggers significant changes in nociceptors, the neurons responsible for detecting pain.
  • These modifications are fundamental to the development and persistence of both acute and chronic pain conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying injury-induced plasticity in nociceptors.
  • To identify potential therapeutic targets for mitigating maladaptive sensitization and treating neuropathic pain.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes existing scientific literature on nociceptor plasticity following injury.
  • It examines structural remodeling (axonal, dendritic, synaptic) and molecular adaptations (ion channels, receptors, signaling pathways, gene expression).

Main Results:

  • Injury induces structural changes in nociceptor architecture and connectivity.
  • Molecular adaptations involve altered ion channel function, receptor expression, and intracellular signaling.
  • Transcriptional reprogramming further modulates nociceptive signaling pathways.

Conclusions:

  • Nociceptor plasticity is a complex process involving both structural and molecular changes after tissue injury.
  • Targeting these injury-induced modifications offers promising avenues for developing novel pain treatments.
  • Further elucidation is crucial for improving outcomes in neuropathic pain patients.