title: The role of transient receptor potential cation channels in Ca2+ signaling.
abstract: The 28 mammalian members of the super-family of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are cation channels, mostly permeable to both monovalent and divalent cations, and can be subdivided into six main subfamilies: the TRPC (canonical), TRPV (vanilloid), TRPM (melastatin), TRPP (polycystin), TRPML (mucolipin), and the TRPA (ankyrin) groups. TRP channels are widely expressed in a large number of different tissues and cell types, and their biological roles appear to be equally diverse. In general, considered as polymodal cell sensors, they play a much more diverse role than anticipated. Functionally, TRP channels, when activated, cause cell depolarization, which may trigger a plethora of voltage-dependent ion channels. Upon stimulation, Ca2+ permeable TRP channels generate changes in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]i, by Ca2+ entry via the plasma membrane. However, more and more evidence is arising that TRP channels are also located in intracellular organelles and serve as intracellular Ca2+ release channels. This review focuses on three major tasks of TRP channels: (1) the function of TRP channels as Ca2+ entry channels; (2) the electrogenic actions of TRPs; and (3) TRPs as Ca2+ release channels in intracellular organelles.
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Laboratory Ion Channel Research, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, bus 802, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gees
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Colsoul
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nilius
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals; D010802:Phylogeny; D015398:Signal Transduction; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels; D002118:Calcium