Nociceptors are a specific type ofsensory neuronthat are activated by noxious stimuli and result in pain. Nociceptor dendrites can be found externally, such as in the skin, the cornea and the mucosa, or internally, such as in the muscles, joints, bladder, gut and digestive tract. The cell bodies are found in thedorsal root gangliain the spinal cord of the central nervous system.

Nociceptors can be triggered by mechanical, thermal and chemical stimuli. They expressTRPV1 channelson their surface and are therefore activated by heat andcapsaicin. Some nociceptors are also activated by mechanical damage such as cutting or crushing. A special class of nociceptors are mechano-insensitive and become mechanosensitive only long after noxious stimulation, e.g. during an inflammation.

Figure 1.Spinal cord with nociceptors highlighted in red.