Figure 1.

TRPV1 co-localizes in specialized neuronal structures. (A) TRPV1 localizes in the growth cone of neurons. Shown are the confocal images of a F11 cell expressing TRPV1 (green) and immunostained for tubulin (red). Scale bar 5 µm. (B) Induction of filopodia and specific localization of TRPV1 at these filopodial structures are common features observed when TRPV1 is expressed ectopically in F11 cells (also in many other cell lines). A large number of these filopodial structures show a distinct bulbous ‘head’ on a thin ‘neck’. TRPV1 is often localized in the stalk and become enriched at the filopodial tips (indicated by arrows), mostly due to active transport to the tips. Intensity profile (shown in a rainbow scale) is shown in right. Scale bar 5 µm. (C) Majority of these filopodial structures are involved in cell-to-cell contact formation. Scale bar 10 µm. (D) TRPV1 is localized at the pre- as well as in post-synaptic structures. Shown are the confocal images of cortical neurons immunostained for TRPV1 (green) and Bassoon (Red). Distinct punctate immunoreactivity of TRPV1 in the synaptic structures is indicated by arrows. Scale bar 5 µm.