MOLECULAR-GENETIC APPROACHES TO NOCICEPTOR DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTION

The activation of peripheral nociceptors is the subject of intense scr utiny, because of its significance in pain regulation, Genetic approac hes, including homology cloning, difference cloning and transgenic man ipulation of mice are providing useful insights into nociceptor functi on, Recent work suggests that transcriptional regulators (for example, islet-I), which are expressed relatively selectively in sensory neuro nes, play a crucial role in defining cellular phenotype. Difference cl oning has identified genes which encode both ligand-gated and voltage- gated ion channels expressed by small-diameter sensory neurones. The r ole of inflammatory mediators such as NGF in regulating nociceptor fun ction has been clarified in mis-expression and deletion studies,An und erstanding of the mechanisms that regulate gene expression in nocicept ors should provide new ways to manipulate nociceptor sensitivity, with potential significance for pain therapy.