Nerve Cells Light Up As They Respond To Pain (VIDEO)

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Caption

Nerve cells in the skin of a mouse ear light up when activated. Application of capsaicin activates only pain-sensing nerve cells, in a dose-dependent fashion, while potassium chloride (KCl) activates all nerve cells present. The video shows more nerves lighting up each time during the sequential application of a low dose of capsaicin, a higher dose of capsaicin (6 sec), and then KCl (10 sec).

Credit

Yushim Kim and Xinzhong Dong, courtesy of <i>Neuron</i>

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