A study on the human sense of touch identified 16 different types of nerve cells, with comparisons to mice and macaques showing both similarities and differences. The research, published in Nature Neuroscience, aims to understand the complexity of bodily sensations beyond the traditional view of specific nerve cells for each type of feeling. Gene expression analyses helped identify the nerve cell types, and functional testing revealed unexpected responses, challenging previous assumptions. The study also found differences in pain-sensing nerve cells between humans and mice, possibly due to body size differences. The collaborative study was supported by various funding sources.
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Scientists identify 16 types of nerve cells in human sense of touch
