Cutaneous C-fiber nociceptor and pruriceptor (C-fiber) (C-fiber)

Cutaneous C-fiber nociceptors and pruriceptors are unmyelinated, slow-conducting primary afferent neurons that provide the sensory interface between the skin and the central nervous system (StatPearls, 2023). These fibers are specialized to detect noxious stimuli, including extreme temperatures, mechanical pressure, and chemical irritants, as well as pruritogenic (itch-inducing) substances (Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2009). They express a diverse array of molecular transducers, such as transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and voltage-gated sodium channels (e.g., Nav1.7), which convert environmental stimuli into electrical signals (PubMed, 2011). In chronic disease states, these fibers can undergo peripheral sensitization, contributing to the persistence of neuropathic pain and chronic pruritus (Frontiers in Medicine, 2019). Pharmacological targeting of these fibers involves either the direct inhibition of their electrical activity or the functional desensitization of their peripheral terminals to alleviate sensory distress.

Other names

Unmyelinated afferent fiberGroup C nerve fiberPolymodal nociceptorItch-sensing neuronC-nociceptor

Modulation of neuronal excitability through the inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels, activation of inhibitory G protein-coupled receptors, or functional desensitization of transient receptor potential channels.