New Delhi: When you step out of the house on a winter morning or place a mint tablet in your mouth, a small molecular sensor within your body immediately becomes active. This sensor alerts your brain whether it is cold outside or you have eaten something cold. Scientists have now succeeded in capturing the first detailed pictures of this sensor. From this research it has become clear that how our body differentiates between real cold and artificial cold obtained from Menthol or how it feels both in the same way. This will be held at the ’70th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting’ to be held from February 21-25, 2026 in San Francisco. Research Was introduced.

1. What is TRPM8 and how does it work?

The center of this entire research is a protein channel called ‘TRPM8’. Duke University researcher Hyuk-Joon Lee has described it as a ‘microscopic thermometer’ present inside the body. This protein is located in the membranes of our sensory neurons, which extend to our skin, mouth and eyes. When the temperature is between 46°F to 82°F (about 8°C to 28°C), this channel opens. As soon as it opens, the flow of ions starts inside the cell, which sends electrical signals of coolness to the brain.

2. How does menthol deceive the brain?

Research has revealed interestingly that menthol actually ‘fools’ the body. According to Lee, menthol works like a trick. This protein binds to a specific part of the channel and opens it in the same way as real cold does. Although menthol does not freeze anything like ice, your body sends the same signal to the brain as it does when you touch ice. This is the reason why we feel intense coolness when we eat mint or apply Eucalyptus oil.

Cryo-electron microscopy A technique that produces images of flash-frozen proteins with an electron beam. Using it, the researchers captured several conformational snapshots of the cold sensing channel, TRPM8, as it changes from closed to open. (Credit: Hyuk-Joon Lee)

3.Secrets revealed by cryo-electron microscopy?

Scientists used ‘cryo-electron microscopy’ technique to see this sensor working. In this the protein is suddenly frozen and then its image is taken through an electron beam. The team took many photographs of TRPM8 from closure to opening. They found that both cold and menthol activate this channel, but in different ways. Cold directly affects the pore through which ions pass, while menthol binds to another part of the protein and changes it, ultimately opening the passage.

4. How will we get help in treating diseases?

The medical implications of this discovery are very deep. When the TRPM8 sensor does not function properly, it is linked to chronic pain, migraines, dry eyes, and even some types of cancer. Currently, a drug called ‘Ecoltramon’, which activates TRPM8, is being used to treat dry eyes. This medicine works similarly to menthol and speeds up the process of tear production by giving a cooling sensation to the eyes.

Symbolic picture created with the help of AI.

5. Will there be complete relief from pain in future?

Researchers have also identified a ‘cold spot’ inside the protein. This part is most responsible for sensing temperature. This discovery provides a basis for scientists to develop new drugs that can directly target this pathway. This will not only help in treating pain, but will also help in understanding how our body adapts to cold when exposed to it for a long time. The question to which scientists were searching for answers for decades is now in front of us.



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