Papers of the Week

Recent studies revealed the existence of unique functional links between mast cells and nociceptors in the skin. Here, we propose that mast cells and nociceptors form a single regulatory unit in both physiology and disease. In this model, MrgprB2/X2 signaling is a primary mechanism by which mast cells functionally interact with nociceptors to form specialized neuroimmune clusters that regulate pain, inflammation, and itch.