title: Understanding thermosensitive transient receptor potential channels as versatile polymodal cellular sensors.
abstract: Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels are eukaryotic polymodal sensors that function as molecular cellular signal integrators. TRP family members sense and are modulated by a wide array of inputs, including temperature, pressure, pH, voltage, chemicals, lipids, and other proteins. These inputs induce signal transduction events mediated by nonselective cation passage through TRP channels. In this review, we focus on the thermosensitive TRP channels and highlight the emerging view that these channels play a variety of significant roles in physiology and pathophysiology in addition to sensory biology. We attempt to use this viewpoint as a framework to understand the complexity and controversy of TRP channel modulation and ultimately suggest that the complex functional behavior arises inherently because this class of protein is exquisitely sensitive to many diverse and distinct signal inputs. To illustrate this idea, we primarily focus on TRP channel thermosensing. We also offer a structural, biochemical, biophysical, and computational perspective that may help to bring more coherence and consensus in understanding the function of this important class of proteins.
authors: †Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, 551 East University Drive, PSG-106, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
authors: Jacob K
authors: JK
authors: Hilton
authors: †Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, 551 East University Drive, PSG-106, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
authors: Parthasarathi
authors: P
authors: Rath
authors: †Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, 551 East University Drive, PSG-106, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
authors: Cole V M
authors: CV
authors: Helsell
authors: ‡Center for Biological Physics and Department of Physics, Arizona State University, 550 East Tyler Mall, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Beckstein
authors: †Center for Personalized Diagnostics, Magnetic Resonance Research Center, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, 551 East University Drive, PSG-106, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States.
authors: Wade D
authors: WD
authors: Van Horn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D050052:TRPC Cation Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013697:Thermosensing / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D050052:TRPC Cation Channels