title: What do we really know and what do we need to know: some controversies, perspectives, and surprises.
abstract: TRP channels comprise one of the most rapid growing research topics in ion channel research, in fields related to ion channels including channelopathies and translational medicine. We provide here a critical survey on our current knowledge of TRP channels and highlight some of the still open or controversial questions. This comprises questions related to evolution of TRP channels; biophysics, i.e., permeation; pore properties and gating; modulation; the still-elusive 3D structure; and channel subunits but also their role as general sensory channels and in human diseases. We will conclude that our knowledge on TRP channels is still at the very beginning of an exciting research journey.
authors: Department Cell Mol Medicine, Laboratory Ion Channel Research, KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, O&N 1, Herestraat 49-Bus 802, 3000, Leuven, Belgium, bernd.nilius@med.kuleuven.be.
authors: Bernd
authors: B
authors: Nilius
authors: Veit
authors: V
authors: Flockerzi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000502:physiology; D021122:Protein Subunits; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D021122:Protein Subunits; D050051:Transient Receptor Potential Channels; D002118:Calcium