title: TRP channels as potential drug targets.
abstract: Calcium (Ca2+) is an ubiquitous intracellular signal that is responsible for a plethora of cellular processes including fertilization, secretion, contraction, neuronal signaling and learning. In addition, changes in intracellular Ca2+ have been known to influence cell proliferation and differentiation for more than three decades. Recent studies have indicated that members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) family of ion channels which respond to many different modes of stimulation both from within and outside the cell may be a primary mode of cation and Ca2+ entry into cells and may have roles in growth control. Moreover, changes in the expression of these channels may contribute to certain cancers. In the following, recent results concerning the expression and function of members of this family of ion channels are summarized.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Experimentelle und Klinische Pharmakologie und Toxikologie, Universität des Saarlandes, Gebäude 46, 66421 Homburg Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wissenbach
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Niemeyer
authors.forename: Veit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Flockerzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels; D002118:Calcium