Characteristics of vanilloid-sensitive primary sensory neurons
| Main divisions | 1. Dorsal root ganglion neurons projecting to spinal dorsal horn |
| 2. Trigeminal ganglion neurons projecting to spinal nucleus of trigeminal tract | |
| Subdivisions | Small neurons with unmyelinated fibers (C-fiber neurons) |
| Large neurons with thin-myelinated fibers (Aδ-neurons) | |
| Peptidergic neurons expressing neurotrophin receptors trkA and p75 | |
| Nonpeptidergic neurons that bind the lectin B4 and express P2X3 receptors | |
| Sensory modalities evoked by capsaicin | Pain and itch |
| C-afferents: polymodal nociceptors; heat nociceptors and warm receptors; mechano-heat insensitive chemonociceptors (mechano-cold receptors?) | |
| Aδ-afferents: polymodal receptors | |
| Selected neuropeptides | Arginine vasopressin |
| Bombesin/gastrin-releasing peptide | |
| CGRP | |
| CCK | |
| Dynorphin | |
| Eledoisin | |
| Galanin | |
| NKA | |
| Somatostatin | |
| SP | |
| VIP | |
| Selected enzymes | Fluoride-resistant acid phosphatase |
| NOS | |
| Selected receptors | ASICs |
| α2-Adrenoceptors | |
| Bradykinin receptors | |
| CCK receptors | |
| γ-Aminobutyric acid receptors | |
| Histamine receptors | |
| NK-1R | |
| NMDA receptors | |
| Opiate receptors | |
| Prostaglandin receptors | |
| VRs | |
| Selected activators | a. Endogenous: inflammatory mediators (e.g. bradykinin and histamine) protons (low pH) |
| b. Exogenous: noxious heat protons (low pH) toluene diisocyanate vanilloids |