The role of satellite glial cells in orofacial pain

Abstract

Some chronic pain conditions in the orofacial region are common, the mechanisms underlying which are unresolved. Satellite glial cells (SGCs) are the glial cells of the peripheral nervous system. In the sensory ganglia, each neuronal body is surrounded by SGCs forming distinct functional units. The unique structural organization enables SGCs to communicate with each other and with their enwrapped neurons via a variety of ways. There is a growing body of evidence that SGCs can influence the level of neuronal excitability and are involved in the development and/or maintenance of pain. The aim of this review was to summarize the latest advances made about the implication of SGCs in orofacial pain. It may offer new targets for the development of orofacial pain treatment.

Keywords: Satellite glial cells; Sensory ganglia; inflammatory pain; neuropathic pain; trigeminal nerve system.