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Figure 1 | Molecular Pain

Figure 1

From: Ionic basis of a mechanotransduction current in adult rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

Figure 1

Mechanical stimulus elicits fast transient currents in most DRG neurons. (A) Representative traces of currents in a typical neuron (36-μm diameter) in response to a transient and a sustained mechanical stimulus at -70 mV. The travel of the probe is shown at top, returning to start position immediately for one stimulus and remaining in contact with the neuron for 200 ms for the other. The probe travelled 33 μm; therefore its velocity was 3.3 mm/s. Both responses displayed an identical initial fast component but when the neuron was transiently stimulated the current inactivated within 4 ms, while the sustained stimulus elicited additional later components – possibly induced by residual vibration of the probe – that were completely inactivated within ~75 ms. The electrode contained the potassium-based electrode solution. (B) Largest current amplitude recorded from a series of DRG neurons plotted against the cell soma diameter. Each point represents the largest current evoked from a single neuron at -70 mV using electrodes filled with either a potassium- () or cesium-based () electrode solution. All cells from 35 preparations (n = 133) in which a stable recording could be maintained through the initial mechanical stimulation are included. Setting the threshold for a response at 1 pA/pF, 98% of the DRG neurons tested expressed the MA current. Solid and dashed lines represent a linear regression of the data for cells recorded using electrodes filled with potassium- and cesium-based electrode solution, respectively.

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