Salgado AAR, Vaca DLA

Language: Spanish
References: 12
Page: 36-41
PDF size: 168.80 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Human beings can experience a wide range of temperatures, from noxious cold to noxious heat, and only recently we have gained insight on the molecular basis of this phenomenon. There are subpopulations of sensorial neurons that show different thermal activation thresholds; for example nociceptors are pain detecting neurons that respond to thermal stimulus of over 43°C, considered bymost people as uncomfortable heat.These nociceptors are also activated by capsaicin, themolecule found in chilli peppers responsible for the burning sensation elicited when eating spicy food. The capsaicin receptor expressed by these nociceptors is an ion channel from the TRP channel superfamily that is activated by temperatures over 43°C. After its cloning, other 5 channels, all of thembelonging to the same superfamily and having different thermal sensitivity, have been cloned, providing an explanation to thermal sensing in humans.

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