If you are a victim of chronic pain arising from cold sensation, then here is a good news for you. Scientists have discovered the genes — called TRPM8 — responsible for mammals’ cold sensation.
You must be thinking how this discovery can be linked to curing cold related pains. Identifying the genes may one day help develop cold sensation-inducing drugs that may act as an analgesic, or even block the sensation to prevent certain forms of chronic pain linked to cold sensation.
To confirm on the gene, the research group had altered mice genetically to lack the cold-stimulating gene.
With acetone applied to the hindpaw of the altered mice, it amazingly showed little response to it, which otherwise causes an unpleasant cold sensation.
Team leader Ardem Patapoutian said,
Many previous candidates have been postulated to play a role in our ability to sense cool temperatures, but none have withstood the test of genetics.
This study represents the first demonstration that a single gene is responsible for most cool temperature sensation.
The discovery is reported in the May 3 issue of the journal Neuron under the title ‘TRPM8 Is Required for Cold Sensation in Mice.’
Photo: goldbamboo