Nishida Motohiro, Hara Yuji, Yoshida Takashi, Inoue Ryuji, Mori Yasuo
Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Microcirculation. 2006 Oct-Nov;13(7):535-50. doi: 10.1080/10739680600885111.
Calcium ions (Ca(2+)) are particularly important in cellular homeostasis and activity. To elicit physiologically relevant timing and spatial patterns of Ca(2+) signaling, ion channels in the surface of each cell precisely control Ca(2+) influx across the plasma membrane. A group of surface membrane ion channels called receptor-activated cation/Ca(2+) channels (RACCs) are activated by diverse cellular stimuli from the surrounding extracellular environment via receptors and other pathways such as heat, osmotic pressure, and mechanical and oxidative stress. An important clue to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the functional diversity of RACCs was first attained by molecular identification of the transient receptor potential (trp) protein (TRP), which mediates light-induced depolarization in Drosophila photoreceptor cells, and its homologues from various biological species. Recent studies have revealed that respective TRP channels are indeed activated by characteristic cellular stimuli. Furthermore, the involvement of TRP channels has been demonstrated in the signaling pathways essential for tissue-specific functions as well as ubiquitous biological responses, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. These findings encourage the usage of TRP channels and their signalplexes as powerful tools for developing novel pharmaceutical targets.
钙离子（Ca(2+)）在细胞内稳态和活性中尤为重要。为了引发生理相关的Ca(2+)信号传导的时间和空间模式，每个细胞表面的离子通道精确控制Ca(2+)通过质膜的流入。一组称为受体激活阳离子/Ca(2+)通道（RACC）的表面膜离子通道通过受体以及诸如热、渗透压、机械和氧化应激等其他途径，被来自周围细胞外环境的各种细胞刺激所激活。了解RACC功能多样性背后分子机制的一个重要线索首先是通过对瞬时受体电位（trp）蛋白（TRP）的分子鉴定获得的，TRP介导果蝇光感受器细胞中的光诱导去极化，以及来自各种生物物种的其同源物。最近的研究表明，各个TRP通道确实被特定的细胞刺激所激活。此外，TRP通道已被证明参与组织特异性功能以及普遍存在的生物反应（如细胞增殖、分化和死亡）所必需的信号通路。这些发现鼓励将TRP通道及其信号复合物用作开发新型药物靶点的强大工具。
