Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain.
Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Hadassah School of Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91123, Israel.
Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jan 6;22(2):481. doi: 10.3390/ijms22020481.
Free nerve endings are key structures in sensory transduction of noxious stimuli. In spite of this, little is known about their functional organization. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels have emerged as key molecular identities in the sensory transduction of pain-producing stimuli, yet the vast majority of our knowledge about sensory TRP channel function is limited to data obtained from in vitro models which do not necessarily reflect physiological conditions. In recent years, the development of novel optical methods such as genetically encoded calcium indicators and photo-modulation of ion channel activity by pharmacological tools has provided an invaluable opportunity to directly assess nociceptive TRP channel function at the nerve terminal.
游离神经末梢是伤害性刺激感觉转导的关键结构。尽管如此，对于它们的功能组织，我们知之甚少。瞬时受体电位 (TRP) 通道已成为产生疼痛刺激感觉转导的关键分子特征，但我们对感觉 TRP 通道功能的绝大多数了解仅限于从体外模型获得的数据，这些数据不一定反映生理状况。近年来，新型光学方法的发展，如基因编码的钙指示剂和药理学工具对离子通道活性的光调节，为直接评估神经末梢的伤害性 TRP 通道功能提供了宝贵的机会。
