Imperial College London Researchers Discover New Method for Perceiving Light Touch Through Hair Follicles
In a groundbreaking study, researchers from Imperial College London have unveiled a previously unknown mechanism by which humans perceive light touches through hair follicles. This discovery challenges the conventional belief that only nerve endings within the skin and around hair follicles are responsible for transmitting such sensations.
The study focused on the detection of touch within hair follicles and aimed to explore the role of these structures in processing light touch. The researchers conducted experiments on cell cultures and found that cells within hair follicles possess the ability to sense touch. Additionally, it was observed that these hair follicle cells release neurotransmitters, specifically histamine and serotonin, in response to touch. These findings have potential implications for understanding the role of histamine in inflammatory skin conditions like eczema.
Dr. Claire Higgins, the lead author of the study and affiliated with Imperial’s Department of Bioengineering, expressed her surprise at this discovery. The research team is now focused on unraveling why hair follicle cells play a role in processing light touch, especially considering the abundance of sensory nerve endings within the follicle. Their objective is to determine if hair follicles activate specific types of sensory nerves through an unidentified mechanism.
Human touch perception involves multiple mechanisms. Sensory nerve endings in the skin play a crucial role in detecting touch and transmitting signals to the brain. Furthermore, richly innervated hair follicles are adept at detecting the movement of hair fibers. The researchers also identified specialized sensory nerves called C-LTMRs, which are exclusive to hairy skin and process emotional or “feel-good” touch.
To discern the higher percentage of touch-sensitive receptors in hair follicle cells compared to those in the skin, the study employed single-cell RNA sequencing data from both human skin and hair follicles. By co-culturing human hair follicle cells and sensory nerves, the researchers mechanically stimulated the hair follicle cells, leading to the activation of adjacent sensory nerves.
Further investigation focused on understanding how the hair follicle cells communicate with sensory nerves. The researchers used a technique called fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to analyze cells in culture and discovered that hair follicle cells release serotonin and histamine in response to touch. Blocking the receptors for these neurotransmitters on sensory neurons prevented the response to hair follicle cell stimulation. Similarly, blocking synaptic vesicle production by hair follicle cells hindered their ability to signal to sensory nerves.
The study also compared the responses of cells from the skin and hair follicles, revealing that skin cells released histamine in response to light touch but did not release serotonin. The researchers emphasize the need for replication of these experiments in living organisms to validate the findings.
The researchers expressed interest in further exploring the unique mechanism through which hair follicles communicate with sensory nerves, particularly considering the exclusive presence of C-LTMRs in hairy skin. The findings of the study were published in the journal Science Advances.
This groundbreaking research provides valuable insights into the perception of light touch and highlights the significant role of hair follicles in this process. With further exploration, this discovery could potentially contribute to advancements in understanding and managing various sensory and skin-related conditions.
I have over 10 years of experience in the cryptocurrency industry and I have been on the list of the top authors on LinkedIn for the past 5 years. I have a wealth of knowledge to share with my readers, and my goal is to help them navigate the ever-changing world of cryptocurrencies.
