Meningeal macrophages mask incision pain sensitization in male rats

Taken together, our results indicate that while CD206⁺ meningeal macrophages do not regulate basal nociception in naïve rats, after skin incision injury, these cells mask mechanical hypersensitivity in male rats only. Thus, we conclude that in a sex-dependent manner CD206⁺ meningeal macrophages prevent the spread of pain hypersensitivity after a minor injury. Importantly, the skin incision we used was comparable to that used in "sham" controls in numerous rodent studies of neuropathic pain. Our findings have, therefore, potentially broad implications for re-interpreting results from previous neuropathic pain research.