Figure 1.

Characteristics of BK-induced nociceptor sensitization to heat. Cutaneous receptive fields of mechano-heat-sensitive C-fibers (CMH) of the rat were repeatedly superfused (at the corium side, in vitro) with 10 μM BK, and sensitization to radiant heat stimulation (32–45°C in 20 s) resulted, which was significant within both groups of fibers and considerably different between units excited by BK and those not excited (Wilcoxon matched pairs and U test, respectively). (Y.-F. Liang, B. Haake, and P.W.R., unpublished data)