Fig. 1. Visualisation of the morphology and markers of sensory neurons in cultured TGNs. Samples were viewed in an inverted microscope by phase contrast (A,B) or in fluorescence mode (C-F), and by confocal microscopy (G-I). Bright-field views of neurons from (A) rat postnatal day 5 (P5) and (B) mouse (P5) after 7 DIV. Antibodies specific for VR1 (1:1000) stained the majority of rat TGNs (C); note that BR2 (1:500) was detected at one pole of VR1-positive cells (D); CGRP (1:500) and substance P (1:1000) appeared highly colocalized when visualised under low-magnification microscopy (E, F) but showed some distinct distribution in confocal microscopy (G-I). Fluorescently labelled secondary antibodies (goat anti-mouse Alexa Fluor-488, 1:200 or goat anti-rabbit Alexa Fluor-546, 1:200) were used. In some cases, the specimens were counterstained with DAPI. Bars, 20 µm (A-F) and 5 µm (G-I).