Specialized Mechanosensory Nociceptors Mediating Rapid Responses to Hair Pull

The somatosensory system provides animals with the ability to detect, distinguish, and respond to diverse thermal, mechanical, and irritating stimuli. While there has been progress in defining classes of neurons underlying temperature sensation and gentle touch, less is known about the neurons specific for mechanical pain. Here, we use in vivo functional imaging to identify a class of cutaneous sensory neurons that are selectively activated by high-threshold mechanical stimulation (HTMRs). We show that their optogenetic excitation evokes rapid protective and avoidance behaviors. Unlike other nociceptors, these HTMRs are fast-conducting Ad-fibers with highly specialized circumferential endings wrapping the base of individual hair follicles. Notably, we find that Ad-HTMRs innervate unique but overlapping fields and can be activated by stimuli as precise as the pulling of a single hair. Together, the distinctive features of this class of Ad-HTMRs appear optimized for accurate and rapid localization of mechanical pain.