Uncovering the Cells and Circuits of Touch in Normal and Pathological Settings

The sense of touch is fundamental as it provides vital, moment-to-moment information about the nature of our physical environment. Primary sensory neurons provide the basis for this sensation in the periphery; however, recent work demonstrates that touch transduction mechanisms also occur upstream o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neuron (Cambridge, Mass.) Mass.), 2018-10, Vol.100 (2), p.349-360
Main Authors: Moehring, Francie, Halder, Priyabrata, Seal, Rebecca P., Stucky, Cheryl L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Circuits
Dorsal horn
Epidermal Cells - physiology
Humans
Insects
ion channels
Keratinocytes
mechanical allodynia
Mechanoreceptors - physiology
Mechanotransduction
Mechanotransduction, Cellular - physiology
microglia
Neural Pathways - cytology
Neural Pathways - physiology
non-neuronal cells
Pain
Piezo2
Rodents
Sensory neurons
Signal transduction
Skin
Spinal cord
spinal touch circuit
Tactile stimuli
Touch - physiology
Touch Perception - physiology
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Summary:The sense of touch is fundamental as it provides vital, moment-to-moment information about the nature of our physical environment. Primary sensory neurons provide the basis for this sensation in the periphery; however, recent work demonstrates that touch transduction mechanisms also occur upstream of the sensory neurons via non-neuronal cells such as Merkel cells and keratinocytes. Within the spinal cord, deep dorsal horn circuits transmit innocuous touch centrally and also transform touch into pain in the setting of injury. Here non-neuronal cells play a key role in the induction and maintenance of persistent mechanical pain. This review highlights recent advances in our understanding of mechanosensation, including a growing appreciation for the role of non-neuronal cells in both touch and pain. Moehring et al. review recent advances in the field of somatosensory mechanotransduction and describe the molecular and cellular circuits underlying our sense of touch in both normal healthy conditions and in pathological conditions.
ISSN:0896-6273
1097-4199
DOI:10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.019