You wouldn’t necessarily think that converting mouse and human skill cells into pain sensing nerves would be a good idea. Why do we need more pain? But when used to tackle pain relief in patients, this new research could do wonders for those who are constantly suffering.

These neurons, which are responsible for transmitting pain signals to the brain, were found to respond to various different stimuli, such as the chemical in chilies that gives them their burn. This novel model of pain, or “pain in a dish” as it has been nicknamed, will hopefully advance our understanding of pain and could ultimately lead to the development of new forms of pain relief.

Not only do pain sensing nerves offer a new opportunity for treatment, they are essential for our survival – like when we touch something hot or recognize when something is going wrong in our bodies.

Neurons of the peripheral nervous system, called nociceptors, are what our bodies use to detect dangerous stimuli. Our understanding of how the nervous system generates a sensation of pain is limited because it’s complex. However, scientists from Harvard set out to create a model system in the lab. After nearly 3 years, they weren’t making much progress, so they decided to take a different approach, which is explained in Nature Neuroscience.

After examining mature pain sensing neurons in mice, the scientists identified a unique set of proteins, called transcription factors, which were active in these cells. Transcription factors control gene expression by binding to specific stretches of DNA, and are able to both activate and switch off certain genes. By adding this specific cocktail of transcription factors to skin cells in a dish, the researchers were able to successfully prompt them to assume their new identity as nociceptors.

The cells were exposed to different stimuli like heat, the spicy chemical component in chilies, and even inflammation, and they actually reacted the same way natural neurons would. The doctors hope that this research could be used to help patients and that this type of development could even lead to patient-specific models.