Patel Kush N, Dong Xinzhong
The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Center for Sensory Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.
ACS Chem Neurosci. 2011 Jan 19;2(1):17-25. doi: 10.1021/cn100085g.
The itch field has made great advances in recent years, building upon earlier work to form a clearer picture of the biology behind this important sensory modality. Models for how itch is encoded have emerged that fit with physiological, molecular, and behavioral data. The molecular mechanisms of itch, both peripherally and centrally, are being revealed with the aid of newer animal models. Future work must address shortcomings in our current understanding of itch including limitations of current experimental methods. Here we review what is known about the cells, molecules, and circuits involved in itch and highlight key questions that remain to be answered.
近年来，瘙痒领域取得了巨大进展，在早期工作的基础上，对这种重要感觉模式背后的生物学形成了更清晰的认识。已经出现了与生理、分子和行为数据相契合的瘙痒编码模型。借助更新的动物模型，瘙痒在周围和中枢的分子机制正在被揭示。未来的工作必须解决我们目前对瘙痒理解中的不足，包括当前实验方法的局限性。在这里，我们回顾了关于参与瘙痒的细胞、分子和神经回路的已知情况，并突出了有待回答的关键问题。
