C-Fiber Assays in the Cornea vs. Skin

doi:10.3390/brainsci9110320

Review

. 2019 Nov 12;9(11):320.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci9110320.

C-Fiber Assays in the Cornea vs. Skin

Eric A Moulton^{1

2}, David Borsook¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Pain and the Brain, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn St, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
² Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

PMID: 31718074
PMCID: PMC6896162
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9110320

Review

C-Fiber Assays in the Cornea vs. Skin

Eric A Moulton et al. Brain Sci. 2019.

. 2019 Nov 12;9(11):320.

doi: 10.3390/brainsci9110320.

Authors

Eric A Moulton^{1

2}, David Borsook¹

Affiliations

¹ Center for Pain and the Brain, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 1 Autumn St, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
² Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

PMID: 31718074
PMCID: PMC6896162
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9110320

Abstract

C-fibers are unmyelinated nerve fibers that transmit high threshold mechanical, thermal, and chemical signals that are associated with pain sensations. This review examines current literature on measuring altered peripheral nerve morphology and discusses the most relevant aspects of corneal microscopy, especially whether corneal imaging presents significant method advantages over skin biopsy. Given its relative merits, corneal confocal microscopy would seem to be a more practical and patient-centric approach than utilizing skin biopsies.

Keywords: corneal nerves; in vivo corneal confocal microscopy; innervation; intraepidermal skin biopsy; neuropathic pain; nociceptors; small fiber neuropathy; subbasal nerve plexus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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References

1. Shaheen B.S., Bakir M., Jain S. Corneal nerves in health and disease. Surv. Ophthalmol. 2014;59:263–285. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2013.09.002. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Belmonte C., Acosta M.C., Gallar J. Neural basis of sensation in intact and injured corneas. Exp. Eye Res. 2004;78:513–525. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2003.09.023. - DOI - PubMed
1. Prato V., Taberner F.J., Hockley J.R.F., Callejo G., Arcourt A., Tazir B., Hammer L., Schad P., Heppenstall P.A., Smith E.S., et al. Functional and Molecular Characterization of Mechanoinsensitive “Silent” Nociceptors. Cell Rep. 2017;21:3102–3115. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.066. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. González-González O., Bech F., Gallar J., Merayo-Lloves J., Belmonte C. Functional Properties of Sensory Nerve Terminals of the Mouse Cornea. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2017;58:404–415. doi: 10.1167/iovs.16-20033. - DOI - PubMed
1. Müller L.J., Marfurt C.F., Kruse F., Tervo T.M.T. Corneal nerves: Structure, contents and function. Exp. Eye Res. 2003;76:521–542. doi: 10.1016/S0014-4835(03)00050-2. - DOI - PubMed

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[1] Shaheen B.S., Bakir M., Jain S. Corneal nerves in health and disease. Surv. Ophthalmol. 2014;59:263–285. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2013.09.002. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Shaheen B.S., Bakir M., Jain S. Corneal nerves in health and disease. Surv. Ophthalmol. 2014;59:263–285. doi: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2013.09.002. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Belmonte C., Acosta M.C., Gallar J. Neural basis of sensation in intact and injured corneas. Exp. Eye Res. 2004;78:513–525. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2003.09.023. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Belmonte C., Acosta M.C., Gallar J. Neural basis of sensation in intact and injured corneas. Exp. Eye Res. 2004;78:513–525. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2003.09.023. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Prato V., Taberner F.J., Hockley J.R.F., Callejo G., Arcourt A., Tazir B., Hammer L., Schad P., Heppenstall P.A., Smith E.S., et al. Functional and Molecular Characterization of Mechanoinsensitive “Silent” Nociceptors. Cell Rep. 2017;21:3102–3115. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.066. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Prato V., Taberner F.J., Hockley J.R.F., Callejo G., Arcourt A., Tazir B., Hammer L., Schad P., Heppenstall P.A., Smith E.S., et al. Functional and Molecular Characterization of Mechanoinsensitive “Silent” Nociceptors. Cell Rep. 2017;21:3102–3115. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.066. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] González-González O., Bech F., Gallar J., Merayo-Lloves J., Belmonte C. Functional Properties of Sensory Nerve Terminals of the Mouse Cornea. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2017;58:404–415. doi: 10.1167/iovs.16-20033. - DOI - PubMed

[8] González-González O., Bech F., Gallar J., Merayo-Lloves J., Belmonte C. Functional Properties of Sensory Nerve Terminals of the Mouse Cornea. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2017;58:404–415. doi: 10.1167/iovs.16-20033. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Müller L.J., Marfurt C.F., Kruse F., Tervo T.M.T. Corneal nerves: Structure, contents and function. Exp. Eye Res. 2003;76:521–542. doi: 10.1016/S0014-4835(03)00050-2. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Müller L.J., Marfurt C.F., Kruse F., Tervo T.M.T. Corneal nerves: Structure, contents and function. Exp. Eye Res. 2003;76:521–542. doi: 10.1016/S0014-4835(03)00050-2. - DOI - PubMed

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C-Fiber Assays in the Cornea vs. Skin

Affiliations

C-Fiber Assays in the Cornea vs. Skin

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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