Free nerve ending

Free nerve ending
Illustration of free nerve endings
Details
Identifiers
Latinterminatio neuralis libera
THH3.11.06.0.00002
FMA84005
Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy

A free nerve ending (FNE) or bare nerve ending, is an unspecialized, afferent nerve fiber sending its signal to a sensory neuron. Afferent in this case means bringing information from the body's periphery toward the brain. They function as cutaneous nociceptors and are essentially used by vertebrates to detect noxious stimuli that often result in pain.