The present invention provides methods of transdifferentiation of somatic cells, e.g., a fibroblast, into a nociceptor cell, e.g., an induced nociceptor (iNociceptors) with characteristics of a typical nociceptor cell. The present invention also relates to an isolated population comprising iNociceptors, compositions, their use in the study of cellular and molecular mechanisms of peripheral pain generation and peripheral neuropathy, use in in vitro drug discovery assays, pain research, as their use in the treatment of nociceptive pain related diseases or disorders. In particular, the present invention relates to direct conversion of a somatic cell to an iNociceptor cell having nociceptor characteristics by increasing the protein expression of five nociceptor inducing factors selected from Ascl1, Mytl1, Isl2, Ngn1, Klf7 in a somatic cell, to convert the fibroblast to an iNociceptors which express the markers of adult nociceptors.
CONVERSION OF SOMATIC CELLS INTO NOCICEPTORS, AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF