Satellite glial cells in sensory ganglia: its role in pain

Background and objectives: Satellite glial cells in sensory ganglia are a recent subject of research in the field of pain and a possible therapeutic target in the future. Therefore, the aim of this study was to summarize some of the important physiological and morphological characteristics of these cells and gather the most relevant scientific evidence about its possible role in the development of chronic pain. Content: In the sensory ganglia, each neuronal body is surrounded by satellite glial cells forming distinct functional units. This close relationship enables bidirectional communication via a paracrine signaling between those two cell types. There is a growing body of evidence that glial satellite cells undergo structural and biochemical changes after nerve injury, which influence neuronal excitability and consequently the development and/or maintenance of pain in different animal models of chronic pain. Conclusions: Satellite glial cells are important in the establishment of physiological pain, in addition to being a potential target for the development of new pain treatments. (C) 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.