疾病状态下穴位从沉寂到激活，出现“有诸内者，必形诸外”的敏化现象。在前期研究发现穴位敏化是实现经穴效应特异性重要条件的基础上，围绕“穴位敏化现象发生发展规律及其与不同属性疾病的关系”这一关键科学问题，以经络病（颈型颈椎病、膝骨关节炎）、脏腑病（功能性消化不良、稳定性心绞痛）为载体，采用历史文献方法学，建立穴位敏化理论知识体系；嵌套运用横断面研究、病例对照研究、前瞻性队列研究，采用定量感觉测试等方法，从体表感觉、皮肤及皮下组织形态改变、生物物理特性三个方面入手，研究穴位敏化现象的表现特征与发生发展规律，以明确穴位敏化的存在、时空变化特征及其与不同属性疾病、经络、穴位的关系；并在此基础上，结合定性系统评价与定量分析方法，制定穴位敏化现象的评定标准。研究结果是深入研究穴位敏化实质的基础，对认识穴位的本质，发展经络腧穴理论具有重要的科学意义；为临床诊断和治疗决策提供可靠证据，具有重要的临床价值。

Acupoints can be activated in patients instead of healthy subjects, which is viewed as " the internal changes will reflect outside ". Our previous studies found that the activation of acupoints (acupoint sensitization) was important to achieve specific acupuncture treatment. To study the occurrence and the process of acupoint activation and how the activation is related to disease development, with a choice of meridian disease (cervical spondylosis and knee osteoarthritis) and zang-fu disease (stable angina pectoris and functional dyspepsia), we will use the method of literature review and data mining to clarify its theory source. Additionally, we will conduct a cross-sectional study, case-control study and prospective cohort study to explore its manifestation styles and activation process through measuring superficial sensory, morphological changes of skin and subcutaneous tissue and biophysical features. In a subsequent analysis, we will correlate these parameters with the types of diseases, locations of meridians and acupoints and development of the diseases. Finally, we will develop standards for acupoint sensitization phenomenon with results of this study and consensus of experts. Our study investigates the essence of acupoint sensitization in-depth, which provides insight to the nature of acupoints and promotes development to the theory of meridians and acupoints, and therefore improves clinical diagnosis and therapeutic decision.