“…In the case of Na + channels, DTT, the reducing agent, has been reported to reduce extracellular native S-S bonds of Na + channels, which frees the SH group to block tetrodotoxin-insensitive Na + channels, thereby inducing thiol-dependent redoxmediated conformational changes of Na + channels pore. 14,15 In the present study, after exposure to DTT, L-cysteine did not affect the hH1, indicating that the site of Na + channel for L-cysteine corresponds to that for DTT. While it remains unknown whether the reduction of native S-S bonds of the Na + channels can inhibit the Na + current, the disulfide bridge formation in the pore region of the channel will change conductance, as described by Benitah et al 21 Thus, it is likely that L-cysteine, as well as DTT, reduces the native S-S bonds of hH1 to free SH groups and thus block hH1.…”