Getting to the Root of an Itch (1 of 2) (IMAGE)

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Getting to the Root of an Itch (1 of 2)

Caption

Itch-inducing agents activate a discrete population of peripheral sensory neurons defined by the expression of the neuropeptide natriuretic polypeptide b (Nppb). In turn, the release of Nppb from these primary pruriceptive neurons triggers a dedicated itch biocircuit to generate the sensation of itch. This image relates to a paper that appeared in the May 24, 2013, issue of Science, published by AAAS. The paper, by Santosh K. Mishra and Mark A. Hoon at National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), NIH, in Bethesda, Md., was titled, "The Cells and Circuitry for Itch Responses in Mice."

Credit

[Image courtesy of Mark Hoon]

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