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Human iPSC-derived sensory neurons

Consistent, scalable, and highly pure sensory neurons with a defined nociceptor identity

Powered by opti-ox 

Nociceptive sensory neurons are specialised neurons of the peripheral nervous system responsible for detecting painful, thermal, and chemical stimuli. These neurons in the dorsal root ganglia form the basis of the body's protective sensory network, signalling potential or actual tissue damage to the central nervous system. Disturbance of these pathways is a primary driver of chronic pain, a debilitating condition affecting nearly a third of adults for which current therapies are often inadequate.

Researchers often rely on sensory neuron models with significant drawbacks: animal models translate poorly to humans, immortalised cell lines lack physiological relevance, and directed differentiation methods are slow and can yield heterogeneous cell populations (contaminated by proliferating non-neuronal cells), compromising assay reliability.

ioSensory Neurons provide scientists a defined, highly pure source of human iPSC-derived sensory neurons with a defined nociceptive identity.

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Learn more about ioSensory Neurons and explore the data

Learn more about ioSensory Neurons and explore the data

ioSensory Neurons rapidly acquire a homogeneous nociceptor phenotype

 

This time-lapse captures the rapid maturation of ioSensory Neurons, human iPSC-derived sensory neurons, over a 14-day time course. Upon thawing, the cells differentiate to quickly establish a homogeneous neuronal network. By day 7, they form a highly pure (>99%) sensory neuronal population with a defined nociceptor identity, providing scientists with a consistent, scalable model.

Dive into the product data

Patch clamp study in ioSensory Neurons shows robust ion channel and receptor activity

Patch clamp assay, Patchliner data, with human iPSC-derived sensory neurons.

ioSensory Neurons are suitable for automated patch clamp analysis, and achieved 100% capture and >80% seal rates on the Patchliner from Nanion Technologies. Recordings confirmed TTX sensitive and TTX insensitive sodium channel currents, ligand-gated responses to GABA, glutamate, and P2X, in addition to heat-activated currents, and action potential firing under current clamp. 

Read the application note

TRPM3 and TRPM8 responses in calcium imaging

TRPM3 and TRPM8 response with optimised media_compressed

Calcium imaging confirms that ioSensory Neurons display robust nociceptor functionality, with 90% of cells responding to TRPM3 agonist CIM0216 and 67% to TRPM8 agonist WS12 when cultured for 21 days which were enhanced using specially optimised media for TRP channels.

Read SfN poster

Modelling pain in a human osteoarthritis model

 

At the Human Cell Forum 2025, Dr Ryan Jones, Cardiff University, presented a novel approach using ioSensory Neurons to model the bone-nociceptor interface. While traditional human osteoarthritis in vitro models capture inflammation, they do not include a nociceptive element. This model fills a gap, enabling researchers to investigate the molecular mechanisms and excitability changes driving chronic pain in osteoarthritis.

Learn more about ioSensory Neurons

Delivered cryopreserved, the cells are ready for experimentation 7 days post-thaw

 

In this video, our scientist takes you through the step-by-step process of how to thaw, seed and culture human iPSC-derived sensory neurons (ioSensory Neurons).

Download the user manual

What scientists say about ioSensory Neurons

An image of Dr Ryan Jones

Dr Ryan Jones

Postdoctoral Research Associate | Cardiff University

"We are using ioSensory Neurons to generate nerve bone interfaces to study pain in orthopaedic conditions like osteoarthritis, non-healing fractures and osteoporosis. Previously, using directed differentiation of iPSC-derived sensory neurons was incredibly time consuming and difficult. bit.bio’s cells rapidly produce a remarkable stable and robust phenotype and are invaluable to our research."

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Quad-culture-glutamatergic-neurons-microglia-astrocytes-and-oligodendrocyte-like-cells
Study neuroinflammation in complex models
Assess cell damage, microglia activation and cytokine release
Expand your research
Study neuroinflammation in complex models
Assess cell damage, microglia activation and cytokine release
Quad-culture-glutamatergic-neurons-microglia-astrocytes-and-oligodendrocyte-like-cells

Looking to add an inflammatory component to your CNS studies?
Move into a multi-cellular model using different cell types to mimic peripheral cell interaction

ioMicroglia Male
ioOligodendrocyte-like cells
ioAstrocytes

Engineer-disease-mutation-hiPSC-derived-cells
Custom human iPSC-derived sensory neurons development
Generate custom disease models or reporter lines
Expand your research
Custom human iPSC-derived sensory neurons development
Generate custom disease models or reporter lines
Engineer-disease-mutation-hiPSC-derived-cells

Build your custom disease model or reporter line to pair with wild-type ioSensory Neurons as the genetically matched control.
Throughout the custom process, our experts will bring your project to life, and be on hand to support you with any technical queries.

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Multi-cellular model with neurons and glia human iPSC-derived cells.
Generate functional in vitro models of the CNS
Highly pure human iPSC-derived cells to build complex multi-cell cultures
Expand your research
Generate functional in vitro models of the CNS
Highly pure human iPSC-derived cells to build complex multi-cell cultures
Multi-cellular model with neurons and glia human iPSC-derived cells.

ioSensory Neurons are highly pure, defined and consistent human iPSC-derived sensory neurons, a great companion for your CNS model.

Combine them with other neuronal and glia ioCells to generate complex multi-cell cultures.

ioGlutamatergic Neurons
ioMicroglia
ioAstrocytes
ioOligodendrocyte-like cells

 

Co-culture-hiPSC-derived-glutamatergic-neurons-and-microglia
Model neurodegenerative disease with physiologically relevant co-cultures
Study disease mechanisms in microglia-neuron interactions
Expand your research
Model neurodegenerative disease with physiologically relevant co-cultures
Study disease mechanisms in microglia-neuron interactions
Co-culture-hiPSC-derived-glutamatergic-neurons-and-microglia

Access 20 neuronal disease models and 4 microglia disease models with a single co-culture protocol


View the co-culture protocol
Explore ioGlutamatergic Neuron Disease Models
Explore ioMicroglia Disease Models

Start effortlessly with our library of protocols

ioSensory Neurons user manual | bit.bio User manual
ioSensory Neurons user manual | bit.bio
DOC-2854 v2.0
2025
bit.bio
Download
How to culture ioSensory Neurons Video tutorial
How to culture ioSensory Neurons
Prachi Bhagwatwar​​​​ | ​Research Assistant | bit.bio
Watch now
mRNA transfection of ioSensory Neurons | bit.bio Protocol
mRNA transfection of ioSensory Neurons | bit.bio
Download protocol

Product resources

Characterisation of ioSensory Neurons on the Patchliner Application note
Characterisation of ioSensory Neurons on the Patchliner
A Obergrussberger et al | Nanion
Download
Optimised and scalable programming of human iPSCs to generate nociceptor sensory neurons for the study of pain mechanisms and neuropathies Poster
Optimised and scalable programming of human iPSCs to generate nociceptor sensory neurons for the study of pain mechanisms and neuropathies

Oosterveen et al.

bit.bio

2024

View poster
Reprogramming the stem cell for a new generation of cures Publication
Reprogramming the stem cell for a new generation of cures

Davenport A, Frolov T & Kotter M

Drug Discovery World

2020

 

Read more
Industrialising Cellular Reprogramming: Leveraging opti-ox Technology to Manufacture Human Cells with Unprecedented Consistency Talk
Industrialising Cellular Reprogramming: Leveraging opti-ox Technology to Manufacture Human Cells with Unprecedented Consistency

Innovation showcase talk at ISSCR

Marius Wernig MD, PhD | Stanford 

Mark Kotter, MD, PhD | bit.bio

Watch now
Using ioSensory Neurons to model pain in osteoarthritis Talk
Using ioSensory Neurons to model pain in osteoarthritis

Dr Ryan Jones | Research Associate | Cardiff University


Human Cell Forum 2025
Session 1 Track 2 | From cells to systems: Building human iPSC-derived models of pain, neuromuscular junctions, and glial dynamics

Watch now
Accelerating in vitro target and drug discovery using reprogrammed glutamatergic neurons Video
Accelerating in vitro target and drug discovery using reprogrammed glutamatergic neurons

Dr Shushant Jain | Group Leader In Vitro Biology | Charles River

Interview at SLAS

Watch
Modelling human neurodegenerative diseases in research & drug discovery | bit.bio Webinar
Modelling human neurodegenerative diseases in research & drug discovery | bit.bio

Dr Mariangela Iovino | Group Leader | Charles River

Dr Tony Oosterveen | Senior Scientist | bit.bio

Watch now
Rethinking Developmental Biology With Cellular Reprogramming | bit.bio Webinar
Rethinking Developmental Biology With Cellular Reprogramming | bit.bio

Mark Kotter | CEO and founder | bit.bio

Marius Wernig | Professor Departments of Pathology and Chemical and Systems Biology |  Stanford University

Watch now
Addressing the Reproducibility Crisis | Driving Genome-Wide Consistency in Cellular Reprogramming | bit.bio Webinar
Addressing the Reproducibility Crisis | Driving Genome-Wide Consistency in Cellular Reprogramming | bit.bio

Dr Ania Wilczynska | Head of Computational Genomics | Non-Clinical | bit.bio

Watch now
Mastering Cell Identity In A Dish: The Power Of Cellular Reprogramming | bit.bio Webinar
Mastering Cell Identity In A Dish: The Power Of Cellular Reprogramming | bit.bio

Prof Roger Pedersen | Adjunct Professor and Senior Research Scientist at Stanford University 

Dr Thomas Moreau | Director of Cell Biology Research | bit.bio

Watch now
mRNA transfection of ioSensory Neurons | bit.bio Protocol
mRNA transfection of ioSensory Neurons | bit.bio
Download protocol

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • What are nociceptive sensory neurons and what is their function?

Nociceptive sensory neurons are specialised cells of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) responsible for detecting potentially damaging stimuli, including extreme temperatures, mechanical stress, and chemical irritants. As the body's primary protective network, these neurons transmit pain signals to the central nervous system (CNS). Damage to sensory neuron networks is thought to be a key driver of chronic pain conditions.

 

  • How do ioSensory Neurons address the limitations of traditional models?

ioSensory Neurons are human iPSC-derived sensory neurons that help to address the poor translation of animal models and the heterogeneity of conventional directed differentiation iPSC models by providing a defined, >99% pure nociceptor population. Powered by opti-ox technology, this consistent human model showcases none of the contamination from non-neuronal cells often seen in standard protocols, supporting assay reliability and scalability.

 

  • How quickly do ioSensory Neurons acquire a functional phenotype?

ioSensory Neurons rapidly differentiate to establish a homogeneous neuronal network, achieving a highly pure phenotype with defined nociceptor identity by day 7 post-thaw. This rapid maturation allows scientists to bypass lengthy differentiation protocols and access a consistent, scalable source of human iPSC-derived sensory neurons for drug discovery workflows.

 

  • What ion channel activity do ioSensory Neurons display?

Validated in automated patch clamp, ioSensory Neurons display robust physiological functionality, including TTX sensitive and TTX resistant voltage-gated sodium currents and ligand-gated responses to GABA and glutamate. Calcium imaging analysis demonstrated that ioSensory Neurons have a high response rate to TRPM3 and TRPM8 agonists when cultured in optimised media.

 

  • How can ioSensory Neurons be used to model chronic pain mechanisms?

ioSensory Neurons enable the creation of complex in vitro pain models, such as the bone-nociceptor interface to study osteoarthritis. Unlike traditional osteoarthritis in vitro models that only capture inflammation, this human nociceptor model allows scientists to study the specific molecular mechanisms and excitability changes that drive chronic pain.