Newly discovered specialized cutaneous Schwann cells initiate pain sensation

Pain is believed to be triggered by activation of free nerve endings without end organs in the skin. In contrast to this paradigm, Abdo et al. Discovered a previously unknown mesh-like organ that covered the skin that perceives dangerous environmental stimuli (see Doan and Monk's Perspective). This organ is made up of specialized glial cells in the epidermal-dermal boundary and is sufficient and required to initiate mechanical pain transduction... read more