穴位敏化的物质基础是针灸治疗疾病的重要科学依据和针灸学深入发展的前沿需求，敏化穴位的局部物质基础是重要突破口。本课题基于前期研究基础，拟以敏化穴位相关的大鼠膝骨关节炎模型、家兔心肌缺血模型和临床人体实验为研究对象，开展敏化穴位微环境特征与相关机制研究。课题将采用系列物理测量技术实时动态检测分析穴位局部理化环境变化；采用改进型膜片钳方法实时动态监测分析穴位的关键信号物质；采用基于核磁共振与质谱有机结合的超灵敏代谢组学等系统生物学手段和方法，研究穴位敏化过程的代谢组特征及变化规律；统计整合分析获得的上述多种数据，构建穴位敏化动态变化的数学模型；提炼穴位敏化过程局部关键信号物质群，揭示穴位敏化的物质基础及穴位敏化过程中穴位组织的物理化学特征变化规律；为穴位敏化的客观诊断提供科学依据和技术方法。

Defining the molecular aspects of acupoint sensitization is essentially important for understanding the scientific meaningfulness of acupuncture and its further developments. The local molecular characteristics of acupoints and responses to stimulated sensitization are key points requiring breakthrough. Based on previous research findings, this project will investigate the microenvironmental physicochemical and biochemistry properties of acupoints under various sensitization stimulations by employing knee osteoarthritis rat model and myocardial ischemia rabbit model together with clinically acquired human cohorts. The real-time physicochemical properties of the acupoint local microenvironments will be measured dynamically with our newly improved in-line patch clamp together with some key biomolecules associated with acupoint sensitization. Ultrasensitive metabolomics methods based on the combination of NMR and LC-MS techniques will be used to systematically measure the local acupoint metabolomes and responses to the stimulated acupoint sensitization. All these acquired data will be subjected to statistical correlation analysis to build predictive models. With the above, the project is aimed to discover and determine the key molecules to define the local physicochemical properties of acupoints associated with acupoint sensitization so as to elucidate the acupoint sensitization mechanisms.