Figure 8.

A proton concentration unable to directly activate TRPV1 channels slows the deactivation rate of capsaicin responses. Representative traces from two different cells stimulated by a single capsaicin pulse application that further illustrates the proton concentration dependent effects on capsaicin deactivation rates. A) Representative current traces showing that the deactivation of capsaicin-activated currents is slowed when the pH of the external solution was reduced (6.5) even though this pH did not significantly potentiate the capsaicin response. B) Representative current traces illustrating that lowering the pH to more acidic conditions results in both an increase in maximal current amplitude and a striking slowing of the deactivation of the capsaicin response.