Fig. 5

Diode laser heat sensitivity is associated with capsaicin sensitivity in DRG neurons and TRPV1 transfected HEK cells. a Response frequencies of DRG neurons and b TRPV1 transfected HEK cells. The vast majority of cells are either excited by both stimuli, capsaicin and laser heat (C+H+, light grey) or responsive to none (C−H−, white). c Responder rates of capsaicin sensitive DRG neurons (open) and TRPV1 transfected HEK cells (filled symbols) increase with increasing stimulation duration (135 mW). T₅₀ of responding cells (dotted lines) were similar (DRG neurons 0.56 mJ, n = 115 and HEK cells 0.52 mJ, n = 213). Control data from sham-transfected HEK cells (only GFP transfected, n = 722; crosses) show hardly any responses (overall 3.4% responders)