Sensory Schwann cells are required for mechanical nociception and touch perception

That sensory neurons alone transduce mechanical stimuli was challenged by the discovery of nociceptive Schwann cells that can initiate pain. Consistent with the existence of inherently mechanosensitive sensory Schwann cells, we found that mechanosensory function of almost all nociceptors, including those signaling fast pain were critically dependent on sensory Schwann cells. Furthermore, in polymodal nociceptors, sensory Schwann cells signal mechanical, but not cold or heat pain. Terminal Schwann cells also surround mechanoreceptor nerve-endings forming Meissners corpuscles that signal vibrotactile touch, raising the possibility that touch sensation is also dependent on such cells. Using optogenetics we show that Meissner`s corpuscle Schwann cells are necessary for the detection and perception of vibrotactile stimuli. Our results show that sensory Schwann cells within diverse glio-neural mechanosensory end-organs are sensors for mechanical pain as well as touch perception. These results place specialized sensory Schwann cells at the center of somatic sensation to all types of mechanical stimuli. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.