Growth factors and sensory neuron function in pain and nerve injury.
My research examines how epithelial cells of the skin and colon communicate with sensory neurons.
We use genetically engineered mouse models that express excitatory and inhibitory opsins to examine how these complex tissue types communicate. These studies utilize molecular, cellular and optogenetic approaches, electrophysiology and behavioral analysis. Much of my work has centered on the skin and the action of neurotrophins (NGF, NT3, NT4 and BDNF) and GDNF family members (GDNF, artemin, neurturin) on sensory neuron function and phenotype under normal and inflamed conditions. Recent studies also examine how subtypes of cutaneous neurons interface with the immune system and the innate immune response.
Representative Publications
Keratinocytes can modulate and directly initiate nociceptive responses.
Baumbauer KM, JJ DeBerry, PC Adelman, RM Miller, J Hachisuka, KH Lee, SE Ross, HR Koerber, BM Davis, KM Albers
eLife (2015)
Optogenetic activation of colon epithelium of the mouse produces high frequency bursting in extrinsic colon afferents.
Makadia PA, SA Najjar, JL Saloman, P Adelman, B Feng, JF Margiotta, KM Albers, BM Davis
Journal of Neuroscience (2018)
Extrinsic primary afferent neurons link visceral pain to colon motility through a spinal reflex in mice.
Smith-Edwards KM, Najjar SA, B Edwards, MJ Howard, KM Albers, BM Davis
Gastroenterology (2019)
Single cell qPCR-derived expression profiles of identified sensory neurons.
Adelman P, K Baumbauer, R Freidman, M Shah, M Wright, E Young, MP Jankowski, KM Albers, HR Koerber
Molecular Pain (2019)
Cutaneous nociceptors trigger protective type-17 immunity through nerve reflex.
Cohen JA, TN Edward, AW Liu, T Hirai, M Ritter Jones, J Wu, Y Li, J Ho, BM Davis, KM Albers, DH Kaplan
Cell (2019)