“按之快然”的穴位属性和“以痛为腧”的阿是穴法是我们探讨穴位本态的重要切入点。新近发现的一种C-纤维传导的低阈值机械感受器（C-LTMRs）可能与穴位的特性有关，这类感受器特异地对皮肤机械、按摩和热灸等刺激发生反应，并产生“愉悦”感，使我们渴望接受刺激以调控机能。本研究采用转基因技术、神经单纤维及单细胞记录、功能成像等，在正常及模式动物、健康和小纤维病变患者，探讨C-LTMRs与针灸刺激的关系以及其诱发反应的编码特征，观察激活C-LTMRs的针灸刺激能否产生镇痛，以判断C-LTMRs是否参与对痛症的节段性控制；进而研究在靶器官病理改变时发生的、牵涉性感觉异常而导致的该类感受系统出现“触诱发痛”的放大器样改变，及这种改变与穴位敏化的相关性，是否通过“沉默末梢”活化成“响应末梢”而实现？以“C-LTMRs”为研究载体，拟阐明穴位的作用机制，促进针灸学进步并提高临床疗效。

The characteristic of acupoints “Pleasure under Pressing” and the definition of A-shi points “Pain under Pressing” are two pivotal entry points for us to study acupoint eigenstate. The newly discovered C-low threshold mechanical receptors (C-LTMRs) or C-tactile afferents are highly associated to acupoint character. These receptors respond specifically to mechanical, tactile, and moxibustion, which induces “joyful” feeling, making us thirst for cutaneous stimuli and functional regulation. In this research protocol, by using transgenic technology, neural electrophysiology, and functional magnetic resonance imaging, we aim to investigate the relationship between C-tactile inputs and features of acupuncture encoding, to estimate acupuncture analgesia mediated by C-tactile afferents via segmental pain control, and to study referred paresthesia of C-tactile afferents induced by pathology of target organs which leads to amplifier-like “allodynia” . We are interested in whether this “allodynia” is related to the mechanism and effect of acupoint sensitization, accelerating silent afferent endings being activated to responsive endings? It is advancing to use C-LTMRs or C-tactile afferents as a carrier in acupuncture research to propel its progress and clinical efficacy.