sensorin

Sensorin is a term used in biology to refer to a family of short signaling peptides associated with sensory neurons in some invertebrate models. The exact definition and sequence of sensorin peptides vary between studies, but they are typically produced as part of larger precursor proteins and processed by peptidases to yield active peptides of roughly 5–20 amino acids, often with C-terminal amidation. In many systems, sensorin peptides act as neuromodulators that influence synaptic transmission and plasticity within sensory circuits, and some work has linked them to learning and nociceptive signaling. Expression of sensorin precursors is usually found in sensory ganglia or peripheral sensory neurons, and peptide levels can change in response to neural activity or injury. Evolutionarily, sensorin peptides show conservation of certain motifs in invertebrates, while overall sequences can be highly divergent across species. Research on sensorin is primarily focused on basic neuroscience, with no established clinical applications in humans. Because the term is used in different contexts, researchers specify the organism and peptide family when referring to sensorin. Other uses of the word appear in non-scientific contexts, where sensorin may denote fictional or proprietary sensor technology or brand names, not related to the neuropeptide concept.