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Capsaicin elicits a sensation of burning pain by selectively activating sensory neurons that convey information about noxious stimuli to the central nervous system. Vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1) and the vanilloid receptor—like protein 1 (VRL-1) are activated, not only by capsaicin, but also by noxious heat and protons, and it has been suggested that they are polymodal nociceptors. We investigated the expression of VR 1 and VRL-1 in the rat larynx and nodose ganglion using VR 1 and VRL-1 immunohistochemical analysis with visualization by diaminobenzidine reaction. Fibers positive for VRL-1 were detected in the laryngeal epithelium and lamina propria. Cells positive for VRL-1 were distributed in the intralaryngeal ganglia. Half of the neurons in the nodose ganglion had VR-1 immunoreactivity, and almost 10% of the nodose ganglion neurons were positive for VRL-1. These findings suggest that these capsaicin receptors play an important role in the nociception of the laryngeal innervation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]