Pain Recent advances in neuropharmacology of cutaneous nociceptors by Nakamura A, Shiomi H Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuyama University, Hiroshima, Japan. Nociceptors detect and signal the presence of tissue-damaging stimuli or the existence of tissue damage. In this short review, we will focus on the molecular mechanism of maintenance, activation, inhibition and sensitization in cutaneous nociceptors.
Neurotrophic factors are essential to the development of nociceptors during embryogenesis.
A selective activator of nociceptors is capsaicin, natural product of capsicum peppers. VR1 seems to play an important role in the activation and sensitization of nociceptors. In contrast, peripheral endogenous cannabinoids such as anandamide are novel candidates for mediators that inhibit the excitation of nociceptors. Intracellular messengers and the mechanisms of signal transduction in nociceptors have also been studied. Such emerging evidences reviewed here would make a significant contribution to further understanding of the molecular mechanism of nociceptors.