瑞典卡罗林斯卡学院Patrik Ernfors研究小组宣布他们发现了特异性皮肤施万细胞能够引起痛觉感知。2019年8月16日，国际知名学术期刊《科学》发表了这一成果。

研究人员发现了一种专门的皮肤神经胶质细胞类型，在皮肤的表皮下边界形成网状网络，可传达有害的热和机械敏感性。研究人员发现其与感觉神经元的直接兴奋性功能连接，并证明这一先前未知的器官在感知伤害性刺激中具有重要的生理作用。因此，这些与无髓鞘的伤害性神经紧密相关的神经胶质细胞本质上是机械敏感的并且将伤害性信息传递给神经。

据了解，生物体存活的基本先决条件是能够检测和响应伤害性刺激。目前认为，有害刺激直接激活皮肤中的伤害性感觉神经末梢。

附：英文原文

Title: Specialized cutaneous Schwann cells initiate pain sensation

Author: Hind Abdo, Laura Calvo-Enrique, Jose Martinez Lopez, Jianren Song, Ming-Dong Zhang, Dmitry Usoskin, Abdeljabbar El Manira, Igor Adameyko, Jens Hjerling-Leffler, Patrik Ernfors

Issue&Volume: Volume 365 Issue 6454

Abstract: An essential prerequisite for the survival of an organism is the ability to detect and respond to aversive stimuli. Current belief is that noxious stimuli directly activate nociceptive sensory nerve endings in the skin. We discovered a specialized cutaneous glial cell type with extensive processes forming a mesh-like network in the subepidermal border of the skin that conveys noxious thermal and mechanical sensitivity. We demonstrate a direct excitatory functional connection to sensory neurons and provide evidence of a previously unknown organ that has an essential physiological role in sensing noxious stimuli. Thus, these glial cells, which are intimately associated with unmyelinated nociceptive nerves, are inherently mechanosensitive and transmit nociceptive information to the nerve.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aax6452

Source:https://science.sciencemag.org/content/365/6454/695