The development of the nociceptive responses in neurokinin-I receptor knockout mice

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Item Type:	Article
Title:	The development of the nociceptive responses in neurokinin-I receptor knockout mice
Creators Name:	King, T.E., Heath, M.J.S., Debs, P., Davis, M.B.E., Hen, R. and Barr, G.A.
Abstract:	An important yet unanswered question is how neonates respond to painful stimuli, given the immaturity of their neural pathways. We examined the development of the neurokinin system using a novel approach, examining changes of this system by observing the pain responses of mice lacking the NKI receptor at different stages of development. We show that the NKI, receptor is not involved in nociception to heat, mechanical or chemical stimuli, at 3 days. In contrast, the NKI receptor is involved in nociceptive responses to high intensity heat and mechanical stimuli, and mediates the second phase of the formalin response in 21-day-old mice. This indicates that nociception in neonates does not require the NKI receptor and that the functional maturation of the NKI receptor allows diversity in both the type of stimuli that activate the pain system and the types of responses elicited by nociceptive stimuli.
Keywords:	Knockout Mice, NKI, Ontogeny, Pain, Substance P, Transgenic Mice, Animals, Mice
Source:	NeuroReport
ISSN:	0959-4965
Publisher:	Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Volume:	11
Number:	3
Page Range:	587-591
Date:	28 February 2000
PubMed:	View item in PubMed

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