Mechanically sensitive Aδ nociceptors that innervate bone marrow respond to changes in intra-osseous pressure

Abstract

Key points: Sensory neurons that innervate the bone marrow provide the CNS with information about pain associated with bone disease and pathology, but little is known of their function. Here we use a novel in vivo bone–nerve electrophysiological preparation to study how they respond to noxious mechanical stimulation delivered by increasing intra-osseous pressure. We provide evidence that sensory neurons that innervate the bone marrow respond to high threshold noxious mechanical stimulation, have response properties consistent with a role in nociception, provide information about different features of an intra-osseous pressure stimulus and express the Piezo2 mechano-transducer molecule. Our f..