Skip to main content

Single-Unit Electrophysiological Recordings of Primary Muscle Sensory Neurons Using a Novel Ex Vivo Preparation

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Pain

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 178))

Abstract

For decades, multiple electrophysiological techniques have been used to characterize the responses of primary afferents to a variety of stimuli under both normal and pathological conditions. With these strategies, experimenters are able to quantify afferent response properties, such as threshold and firing rates, and determine the functional classifications of individual cells. New research techniques have been developed that allow for both characterization of the afferent responses and correlation of the physiology and neurochemical or molecular identity, providing a comprehensive phenotype of the sensory neurons being analyzed. Dual characterization provides insight about the role of specific markers expressed in primary sensory neurons and how they may influence sensory transduction. In this chapter, we describe a powerful electrophysiological technique that allows for ex vivo recordings from intact primary muscle afferents from two target muscle groups, similar to that previously described for cutaneous afferents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 149.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lloyd DPC (1943) Neuron patterns controlling transmission of ipsilateral hind limb reflexes in cat. J Neurophysiol 6(4):293–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. McCord JL, Kaufman MP (2010) Reflex autonomic responses evoked by group III and IV muscle afferents. In: Kruger L, Light AR (eds) Translational pain research: from mouse to man. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Llc., Boca Raton, FL

    Google Scholar 

  3. Moore JC (1984) The Golgi tendon organ: a review and update. Am J Occup Ther 38(4):227–236. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.38.4.227

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bewick GS, Banks RW (2015) Mechanotransduction in the muscle spindle. Pflugers Arch 467(1):175–190. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-014-1536-9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Paintal AS (1960) Functional analysis of group III afferent fibres of mammalian muscles. J Physiol 152(2):250–270

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Stacey MJ (1969) Free nerve endings in skeletal muscle of the cat. J Anat 105(Pt 2):231–254

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. von Düring M, Andres KH (1990) Topography and ultrastructure of group II and IV nerve terminals of the Cat’s gastrocnemius-soleus muscle. In: Zenker W, Neuhuber WL (eds) The primary afferent neuron. Springer, Boston, MA, pp 35–41. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0579-8_3

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  8. Messlinger K (1996) Functional morphology of nociceptive and other fine sensory endings (free nerve endings) in different tissues. Prog Brain Res 113:273–298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Woodbury CJ, Zwick M, Wang S, Lawson JJ, Caterina MJ, Koltzenburg M, Albers KM, Koerber HR, Davis BM (2004) Nociceptors lacking TRPV1 and TRPV2 have normal heat responses. J Neurosci 24(28):6410–6415. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1421-04.2004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. McCoy DD, Knowlton WM, McKemy DD (2011) Scraping through the ice: uncovering the role of TRPM8 in cold transduction. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 300(6):R1278–R1287. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpregu.00631.2010

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. McKemy DD, Neuhausser WM, Julius D (2002) Identification of a cold receptor reveals a general role for TRP channels in thermosensation. Nature 416(6876):52–58. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature719

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Molliver DC, Immke DC, Fierro L, Pare M, Rice FL, McCleskey EW (2005) ASIC3, an acid-sensing ion channel, is expressed in metaboreceptive sensory neurons. Mol Pain 1:35. https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-8069-1-35

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Sluka KA, Radhakrishnan R, Benson CJ, Eshcol JO, Price MP, Babinski K, Audette KM, Yeomans DC, Wilson SP (2007) ASIC3 in muscle mediates mechanical, but not heat, hyperalgesia associated with muscle inflammation. Pain 129(1–2):102–112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2006.09.038

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Light AR, Hughen RW, Zhang J, Rainier J, Liu Z, Lee J (2008) Dorsal root ganglion neurons innervating skeletal muscle respond to physiological combinations of protons, ATP, and lactate mediated by ASIC, P2X, and TRPV1. J Neurophysiol 100(3):1184–1201. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.01344.2007

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Fujii Y, Ozaki N, Taguchi T, Mizumura K, Furukawa K, Sugiura Y (2008) TRP channels and ASICs mediate mechanical hyperalgesia in models of inflammatory muscle pain and delayed onset muscle soreness. Pain 140(2):292–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2008.08.013

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Ross JL, Queme LF, Cohen ER, Green KJ, Lu P, Shank AT, An S, Hudgins RC, Jankowski MP (2016) Muscle IL1beta drives ischemic myalgia via ASIC3-mediated sensory neuron sensitization. J Neurosci 36(26):6857–6871. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4582-15.2016

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  17. Jankowski MP, Rau KK, Ekmann KM, Anderson CE, Koerber HR (2013) Comprehensive phenotyping of group III and IV muscle afferents in mouse. J Neurophysiol 109(9):2374–2381. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.01067.2012

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Ross JL, Queme LF, Shank AT, Hudgins RC, Jankowski MP (2014) Sensitization of group III and IV muscle afferents in the mouse after ischemia and reperfusion injury. J Pain 15(12):1257–1270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2014.09.003

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Queme LF, Ross JL, Lu P, Hudgins RC, Jankowski MP (2016) Dual modulation of nociception and cardiovascular reflexes during peripheral ischemia through P2Y1 receptor-dependent sensitization of muscle afferents. J Neurosci 36(1):19–30. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.2856-15.2016

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Murase S, Terazawa E, Queme F, Ota H, Matsuda T, Hirate K, Kozaki Y, Katanosaka K, Taguchi T, Urai H, Mizumura K (2010) Bradykinin and nerve growth factor play pivotal roles in muscular mechanical hyperalgesia after exercise (delayed-onset muscle soreness). J Neurosci 30(10):3752–3761. https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3803-09.2010

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Sluka KA (1996) Pain mechanisms involved in musculoskeletal disorders. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 24(4):240–254. https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.1996.24.4.240

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Gautam M, Benson CJ, Ranier JD, Light AR, Sluka KA (2012) ASICs do not play a role in maintaining hyperalgesia induced by repeated intramuscular acid injections. Pain Res Treat 2012:817347. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/817347

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Gregory NS, Brito RG, Fusaro MC, Sluka KA (2016) ASIC3 is required for development of fatigue-induced hyperalgesia. Mol Neurobiol 53(2):1020–1030. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12035-014-9055-4

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Birdsong WT, Fierro L, Williams FG, Spelta V, Naves LA, Knowles M, Marsh-Haffner J, Adelman JP, Almers W, Elde RP, McCleskey EW (2010) Sensing muscle ischemia: coincident detection of acid and ATP via interplay of two ion channels. Neuron 68(4):739–749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2010.09.029

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Flegel C, Schobel N, Altmuller J, Becker C, Tannapfel A, Hatt H, Gisselmann G (2015) RNA-Seq analysis of human trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia with a focus on chemoreceptors. PLoS One 10(6):e0128951. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0128951

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Hu G, Huang K, Hu Y, Du G, Xue Z, Zhu X, Fan G (2016) Single-cell RNA-seq reveals distinct injury responses in different types of DRG sensory neurons. Sci Rep 6:31851. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep31851

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Ray P, Torck A, Quigley L, Wangzhou A, Neiman M, Rao C, Lam T, Kim JY, Kim TH, Zhang MQ, Dussor G, Price TJ (2018) Comparative transcriptome profiling of the human and mouse dorsal root ganglia: an RNA-seq-based resource for pain and sensory neuroscience research. Pain 159(7):1325–1345. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001217

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Queme LF, Ross JL, Ford Z, Katragadda B, Green K, Hudgins RC, Jankowski MP (2016) Upregulation of GDNF family receptor α1 in the dorsal root ganglia regulates pain-related behaviors and the cardiovascular response to exercise after ischemia with reperfusion injury. Paper presented at the 16th World Congress on Pain, Yokohama, Japan

    Google Scholar 

  29. Paintal AS (1959) Intramuscular propagation of sensory impulses. J Physiol 148:240–251. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1959.sp006285

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Paintal AS (1961) Participation by pressure-pain receptors of mammalian muscles in the flexion reflex. J Physiol 156:498–514. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.1961.sp006689

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. McCloskey DI, Mitchell JH (1972) Reflex cardiovascular and respiratory responses originating in exercising muscle. J Physiol 224(1):173–186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Mense S, Schmidt RF (1974) Activation of group IV afferent units from muscle by algesic agents. Brain Res 72(2):305–310

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Kumazawa T, Mizumura K (1976) The polymodal C-fiber receptor in the muscle of the dog. Brain Res 101(3):589–593

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Kaufman MP, Rybicki KJ, Waldrop TG, Ordway GA (1984) Effect of ischemia on responses of group III and IV afferents to contraction. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol 57(3):644–650

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Adreani CM, Hill JM, Kaufman MP (1997) Responses of group III and IV muscle afferents to dynamic exercise. J Appl Physiol (1985) 82(6):1811–1817

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Mense S, Meyer H (1985) Different types of slowly conducting afferent units in cat skeletal muscle and tendon. J Physiol 363:403–417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Mense S, Prabhakar NR (1986) Spinal termination of nociceptive afferent fibres from deep tissues in the cat. Neurosci Lett 66(2):169–174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Taguchi T, Sato J, Mizumura K (2005) Augmented mechanical response of muscle thin-fiber sensory receptors recorded from rat muscle-nerve preparations in vitro after eccentric contraction. J Neurophysiol 94(4):2822–2831. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00470.2005

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Xu J, Brennan TJ (2009) Comparison of skin incision vs. skin plus deep tissue incision on ongoing pain and spontaneous activity in dorsal horn neurons. Pain 144(3):329–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2009.05.019

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Xu J, Gu H, Brennan TJ (2010) Increased sensitivity of group III and group IV afferents from incised muscle in vitro. Pain 151(3):744–755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2010.09.003

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Reeh PW (1986) Sensory receptors in mammalian skin in an in vitro preparation. Neurosci Lett 66(2):141–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3940(86)90180-1

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Koltzenburg M, Stucky CL, Lewin GR (1997) Receptive properties of mouse sensory neurons innervating hairy skin. J Neurophysiol 78(4):1841–1850. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.1997.78.4.1841

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Wenk HN, McCleskey EW (2007) A novel mouse skeletal muscle-nerve preparation and in vitro model of ischemia. J Neurosci Methods 159(2):244–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2006.07.021

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Koerber H, Woodbury C (2002) Comprehensive phenotyping of sensory neurons using an ex vivo somatosensory system. Physiol Behav 77(4–5):589–594. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0031-9384(02)00904-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Ross JL, Queme LF, Lamb JE, Green KJ, Ford ZK, Jankowski MP (2018) Interleukin 1beta inhibition contributes to the antinociceptive effects of voluntary exercise on ischemia/reperfusion-induced hypersensitivity. Pain 159(2):380–392. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001094

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  46. Hanani M (2012) Lucifer yellow - an angel rather than the devil. J Cell Mol Med 16(1):22–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1582-4934.2011.01378.x

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants to MPJ from the NIH (R01AR064551 and R01NS113965).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael P. Jankowski .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

About this protocol

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this protocol

Queme, L.F., Jankowski, M.P. (2022). Single-Unit Electrophysiological Recordings of Primary Muscle Sensory Neurons Using a Novel Ex Vivo Preparation. In: Seal, R.P. (eds) Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Pain. Neuromethods, vol 178. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2039-7_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2039-7_6

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-2038-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-2039-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics