title: Sensing with TRP channels.
abstract: Drosophila melanogaster flies carrying the trp (transient receptor potential) mutation are rapidly blinded by bright light, because of the absence of a Ca2+-permeable ion channel in their photoreceptors. The identification of the trp gene and the search for homologs in yeast, flies, worms, zebrafish and mammals has led to the discovery of a large superfamily of related cation channels, named TRP channels. Activation of TRP channels is highly sensitive to a variety of chemical and physical stimuli, allowing them to function as dedicated biological sensors that are essential in processes such as vision, taste, tactile sensation and hearing.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Physiology, Campus Gasthuisberg O&N, KU Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. Thomas.voets@med.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Voets
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Talavera
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Owsianik
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nilius
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008954:Models, Biological; D010802:Phylogeny; D013696:Temperature; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels