Chapter 28 Morphological features of thin sensory afferent fibers: a new interpretation of ‘nociceptor’ function

摘要: Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the morphological features of thin sensory afferent fibers: a new interpretation “nociceptor” function. The explores regional innervation patterns axons displaying immunoreactivity (IR) for recently discovered calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in variety specialized tissues. novel is special interest because it reveals largest proportion peptidergic (i.e., most other neuropeptides are found co-localized within CGRP subpopulations), and its absence sympathetic ganglia assures nature. It generally accepted that nociceptors comprise simple, least primitive neurons their terminals might best be described as “free nerve endings.” Fully acknowledging justifiable prohibitions against proliferating superfluous neologisms, “noceffector” can regarded tentative, generalized term subsuming broad class neurons. Judging by number biochemical markers already assigned to subpopulations, likely an extensive functional classification soon emerge this extraordinarily versatile varied misunderstood sense organs.