Molecular Biology Select

The shock of wasabi, the dreadful pain of a tooth-ache, even the itch of a poison ivy rash—blame it on a TRP channel. The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels trigger pain and inflammation in sensory neurons throughout the body, but these six families of cation channels are expressed in almost every type of cell in humans. This Molecular Biology Select summarizes recent studies that highlight the remarkable versatility of TRP channels, which can respond to a diverse array of stimuli, including spices, toxins, pressure, heat, and membrane voltage