A mouse DRG genetic toolkit reveals morphological and physiological diversity of somatosensory neuron subtypes. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38442711/)

These scientists wanted to understand how different types of nerves in our body send messages to our brain when we feel things like touch, heat, or chemicals. They made a special toolkit for studying these nerves in mice. With this toolkit, they were able to look closely at the shape and size of the nerve endings in the skin and see how they respond to different types of sensations.

They found that each type of nerve ending is unique and has its own way of reacting to things like touch and heat. Some nerves are more sensitive to touch, while others are more sensitive to heat. By studying these differences, the scientists learned that all these different nerve endings work together to help us feel and understand the world around us.

Qi L., Iskols M., Shi D., Reddy P., Walker C., Lezgiyeva K., Voisin T., Pawlak M., Kuchroo VK., Chiu IM., Ginty DD., Sharma N. A mouse DRG genetic toolkit reveals morphological and physiological diversity of somatosensory neuron subtypes. Cell. 2024 Mar 14;187(6):1508-1526.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.006. Epub 2024 Mar 4.