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Figure 1. Inhibition of HVACC currents by eugenol in dental primary afferent neurons. (Aa) Trigeminal neurons were acutely isolated from adult rats 3 wks after placement of a fluorescent dye, DiI, into maxillary molars. Arrows indicate the 2 labeled cells when visualized under fluorescence microscopy (Ab). Scale bar, 50 µm. (B) The effect of 1 mM eugenol on membrane currents and HVACC barium currents (IBa). B shows continuous chart records of membrane current with eugenol applied at the time indicated by the horizontal bar (1, before; 2, during; 3, after the application of eugenol). Eugenol produced inhibitory effects on IBa without the change in membrane-holding currents (n = 13). (C) Superimposed IBa evoked by test pulse at the points indicated in (B). Individual currents are numbered on the chart record for ease of identification and superimposed at higher time resolution in (B). Calcium currents were recorded during 200-ms voltage clamp steps from a holding potential of –80 mV to a test potential of 0 mV every 10 sec.
