Studies on the molecular, cells, and circuit that underlie somatosensation and pain

National Center For Complementary & Integrative Health

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Since this is our first year, we have focused on setting up the lab and establishing SOPs. The lab now has demonstrated competence in three areas: animal husbandry and behavior, electrophysiology and calcium imaging, and in vivo two-photon imaging in mice. Specific accomplishments for this fiscal year include getting approval for our animal protocols, establishing our transgenic mouse colony, and ensuring we can produce reliable results using three distinct pain models: chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, peripheral inflammation with CFA, and peripheral tissue injury via formalin. The behavioral readouts that we have successfully implemented are thermal-sensitivity measurements (Hargreaves modified for hot/cold), von Frey measurements of mechanical withdrawal threshold, and acute nocifensive behaviors after paw injection. Furthermore, we have begun testing several knockout mice for phenotypes within these behavioral assays. Additionally, we have established patch-clamp recording from both cell lines expressing somatosensory receptors (HEK293 assay) and from primary cultures of adult and neonatal sensory neurons (DRGs). Lastly, we have been trained and have succeeded in installing cranial windows and imaging these mice with our two-photon microscope.