Recently, it has been found that both chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 12 (CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4 were upregulated in spinal glial cells of mice with partial sciatic nerve ligation (pSNL)-induced neuropathic pain or chronic post-ischemia-induced inflammatory pain [5]. Here, CXCR4 is linked to ischemia.