The Signaling and Cellular Mechanisms of Pain—Second Edition

Dear Colleagues,

The physiological perception of pain is essential for the brain to engage appropriate responses against noxious stimuli. In pathological conditions, such as chronicity, pain lacks the positive characteristic of alarm evolving to disease. Based on three major characteristics, namely symptoms, mechanisms and syndromes, pain may be classified into three classes: nociceptive, neuropathic, and inflammatory pain. The events that follow one another leading to the onset of pain can originate from various sources and consist of three events: the transduction, transmission and modulation of noxious stimuli.

The cell type most involved in the various phases of pain projection are the sensory neurons whose sensitivity can be modulated by various mediators. The latter trigger the activation of many different signaling cascades, which, in turn, determine the response to painful stimuli.

Although many studies have shed light on some components of the intracellular signal transduction cascades, the signaling pathways downstream of receptor–ligand interactions are still largely unknown.

Another very important aspect to consider is the plethora of plastic changes that take place in the peripheral and the central nervous systems to contribute to pain perception. In addition, the molecular mechanism responsible for neuronal and glial plasticity is widely accepted as the mechanism underpinning the transition from acute/physiological pain to chronic/pathological pain.

Thus, understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of pain is essential for the advance of pain physiopathology knowledge for the identification of new therapeutic targets and, finally, to improve its management.

Dr. Alessandra Pacini
Guest Editor

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• nociception
• neuropathic pain
• visceral pain
• pain pathophysiological pathways
• glia
• analgesia

• The Signaling and Cellular Mechanisms of Pain in Cells (8 articles)