Instagram story viewer> @science_glitter> Posts

science_glitter

@science_glitter

3.7K

followers

250

following

Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D.
Neuroscientist, Pain Researcher
🐶 I sell handmade Tube Buddies on Etsy!
🔬✨️ Science, creativity & life in/out of the lab

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Here is how I stain for mRNAs and proteins of interest on the same tissue sample! This sample is human trigeminal ganglion.

(Final full mosaic image is an epifluorescent slide scanner image)

#PainResearch #Immunofluorescence #Rnascope #Neuroscience by @science_glitter

2k

26

3 months ago

Diabetic neuropathy is often described as a “nerve problem,” but our research in the Center for Advanced Pain Studies at UTDallas shows it goes much deeper. @utdpaincenter

In human dorsal root ganglia, we see sensory neuron death marked by Nageotte nodules and abnormal nerve fiber sprouting, and dystrophic axonal swellings from the surviving neurons.

But the good news is that understanding this pathology opens new research avenues. Our goal is to protect these neurons, slow sensory loss, and ultimately develop treatments for people living with diabetic pain.

See our published manuscript to learn more - Shiers, et al. Nature Communications (2025).

#DiabetesAwarenessMonth #Neuroscience #PainResearch by @science_glitter

20

0

a year ago

The PRECISION Human Pain Network is generating human tissue datasets that are opening new doors in pain research. #USASP2026 has been an incredible meeting, and we’ve loved sharing our work with the field.

I’m so proud to be part of this consortium and truly believe this work will lead to better treatments for those living with chronic pain.

@us_asp

#PainResearch #Chronicpainawareness by @science_glitter

49

0

7 months ago

Halloween is right around the corner, and I couldn't be more excited! 🎃👻

Naturally, today's #FluorescenceFriday is getting into the spooky spirit with some Halloween-inspired colors!

This 10X confocal image shows sensory neurons (purple and blue) and other cells within the human trigeminal ganglion.

🧙‍♀️ Immunofluorescence + RNAscope:
🟣 Peripherin (sensory neurons)
🔵 mRNA of interest (🤫)
🟢 an RNA-binding protein
🟠 DAPI (nuclei)

📸: Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D. @science_glitter @utdpaincenter

#PainResearch Neuroscience by @science_glitter

177

0

14 hours ago

✨️🔬 It's #FluorescenceFriday! Today's image features a human dorsal root ganglion immunostained for a pain neuroscientist's favorite sensory neuron markers. I'm sure you can all tell which ones, so I'll let the stains speak for themselves. 🤐😜

Bonus: Check out that interesting bilobed morphology! Perhaps this is a biganglia? 👀

📸: Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D. @science_glitter

#PainResearch #Neuroscience #Immunofluorescence by @science_glitter

490

5

7 days ago

5k

10

8 days ago

Another 5-channel human trigeminal ganglion image for #FluorescenceFriday! 🔬🌈

I’m loving the versatility of using Peripherin (my go-to neuronal marker) in the 800 nm channel as it leaves the 488, 555, and 647 channels open for other targets of interest. 👌🏻

This 20X image is from an experiment where I’ve been looking at mRNA expression in the soma and axons of sensory neurons. While 20X gives a great overview of expression across the TG, axonal signal is best resolved at higher magnification (60X), using thin z-steps through the z-plane to confidently confirm localization within axons.
That’s especially important in this experiment because there’s substantial Schwann cell expression of the green mRNA target, making it critical to distinguish true axonal signal from expression in the surrounding Schwann cells.

✨️ RNAscope and Immunofluorescence:
🟣 Peripherin (sensory neurons)
🟢 mRNA of interest 1 (🤫)
🟠 mRNA of interest 2 (🤐)
🔵 an RNA binding protein
🩵 DAPI (nuclei)

📸: Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D. @science_glitter

#PainResearch #Neuroscience #Immunofluorescence by @science_glitter

162

3

15 days ago

Today’s #FluorescenceFriday image features the human trigeminal nerve. I captured this 40X image on the confocal last week and rendered it in spooky colors since spooky month is almost here! ☺️🧙‍♀️🎃

The trigeminal nerve carries sensory information from the face and head and plays a major role in pain signaling. Next week, I’ll be collecting more images to investigate which of my mRNAs of interest are localized within sensory axons. Local translation of mRNAs can alter axonal excitability and may be an important contributor to how pain signals are generated and maintained.

✨️ RNAscope + Immunofluorescence:
🟣 Peripherin (axons)
🟢 DAPI (nuclei)
🔴 an RNA-binding protein
⚪️ mRNA of interest (🤐)
🩵 mRNA of interest (🤫)

📸: Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D. @science_glitter at the @utdpaincenter

#Painresearch #Immunofluorescence #Neuroscience by @science_glitter

162

2

21 days ago

Hot off the confocal for #FluorescenceFriday!

I took this image today from an experiment I conducted this week using human trigeminal ganglia. This is a 5 channel stain using RNAscope and immunofluorescence.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a successful experiment and getting pretty pictures out of it. What a great way to end a productive week. 😊

🔴 mRNA of interest 1 (🤐)
🟢 mRNA of interest 2 (🤫)
🔵 an RNA binding protein
⚪️ Peripherin (sensory neurons + axons)
🩵 DAPI (nuclei)

📸: Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D. @science_glitter

#PainResearch #Neuroscience #immunofluorescence by @science_glitter

224

2

a month ago

Hi there! It’s #FluorescenceFriday, and today’s image shows neurodegenerative features in the DRG of an individual with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).

I’ve highlighted several features (keep scrolling ➡️), but I want to focus on the sensory neuron circled in white. It’s wrapped by axonal fibers, forming what’s called a pericellular nest.

In rodent neuropathy, these nests have been attributed to sprouting sympathetic fibers which alter sensory neuron signaling. But despite testing multiple TH antibodies, I find no evidence that these fibers are sympathetic in human DPN DRGs. Instead, my evidence suggests they are sensory fibers sprouting from the sensory neurons themselves. 😳

And remarkably, Jean Nageotte described the same thing in 1922:

"We know that Cajal and Dogiel described neurites that wrap around certain ganglion cells, forming platoons of various types. One of these types is called Dogiel's platoon or pericellular nest; it is precisely that which we encounter in grafts with such abundance that it cannot be a question of a persistence of the normal arrangement; without a doubt these platoons are newly formed. However, careful observation proves that often the neurites of these platoons emanate from the own glomerulus of the entwining neurons (fig. 71, 72, 73). It must be the same for the platoons observed in the normal state, which therefore cannot constitute a connection of the ganglia with the sympathetic." — JEAN NAGEOTTE, 1922

I think this is incredibly cool and I have so many thoughts, but instead of writing a longer book I will end here. ✌️ Happy Friday

IF: 🟠 Peripherin (sensory neurons) 🔵 Nuclei

📸: Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D. @science_glitter at the @utdpaincenter

#PainResearch #PainAwarenessMonth #Neuroscience #DiabeticNeuropathy by @science_glitter

131

1

a month ago

It’s #FluorescenceFriday and the start of #PainAwarenessMonth, so this week’s image is all about the cells involved in how we sense and process pain.

When you touch a hot stove, pain has an important job: it tells you to pull your hand away. Sensory neurons, like those shown in yellow, detect that noxious heat and send signals to the spinal cord and brain leading to pain.

Glial cells, shown here in magenta, normally help support and maintain the environment around neurons but following injury or inflammation, they can also respond to changes in their environment and influence how pain signals are transmitted. In chronic pain, these neuron-glia interactions can contribute to a nervous system that remains sensitized even when the original threat (the hot stove) is gone.

✨️ Immunofluorescence:
🟡 Peripherin (sensory neurons)
🟣 GFAP (peripheral glia)
🔵 DAPI (nuclei)

📸: Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D. at the @utdpaincenter

#PainResearch #Neuroscience #Immunofluorescence by @science_glitter

142

0

a month ago

Happy #FluorescenceFriday! ✨🔬

Today’s image is a 20X confocal image of a human dorsal root ganglion.

In red, you can see specialized sensory neurons called nociceptors. These neurons detect potentially harmful stimuli (like touching a hot stove) and send signals to the spinal cord and brain, leading to our sensation of pain. 🧠

✨ Immunofluorescence:
🔴 Nav1.8 (nociceptors)
🟢 Peripherin (sensory neurons)
🩷 GFAP (glia)
🔵 SOX10 (glial nuclei)
🩵 DAPI (nuclei)

📸: Stephanie Shiers, Ph.D. @science_glitter at the @utdpaincenter

#PainResearch #Neuroscience #Microscopy #Immunofluorescence by @science_glitter

230

2

2 months ago