Minke Baruch
Department of Medical Neurobiology, The Institute of Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences and the Kühne Minerva Center for Studies of Visual Transduction, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91120, Israel.
J Neurogenet. 2010 Dec;24(4):216-33. doi: 10.3109/01677063.2010.514369. Epub 2010 Nov 11.
Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are polymodal cellular sensors involved in a wide variety of cellular processes, mainly by changing membrane voltage and increasing cellular Ca(2+). This review outlines in detail the history of the founding member of the TRP family, the Drosophila TRP channel. The field began with a spontaneous mutation in the trp gene that led to a blind mutant during prolonged intense light. It was this mutant that allowed for the discovery of the first TRP channels. A combination of electrophysiological, biochemical, Ca(2+) measurements, and genetic studies in flies and in other invertebrates pointed to TRP as a novel phosphoinositide-regulated and Ca(2+)-permeable channel. The cloning and sequencing of the trp gene provided its molecular identity. These seminal findings led to the isolation of the first mammalian homologues of the Drosophila TRP channels. We now know that TRP channel proteins are conserved through evolution and are found in most organisms, tissues, and cell-types. The TRP channel superfamily is classified into seven related subfamilies: TRPC, TRPM, TRPV, TRPA, TRPP, TRPML, and TRPN. A great deal is known today about participation of TRP channels in many biological processes, including initiation of pain, thermoregulation, salivary fluid secretion, inflammation, cardiovascular regulation, smooth muscle tone, pressure regulation, Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) homeostasis, and lysosomal function. The native Drosophila photoreceptor cells, where the founding member of the TRP channels superfamily was found, is still a useful preparation to study basic features of this remarkable channel.
瞬时受体电位（TRP）通道是多模式细胞传感器，主要通过改变膜电压和增加细胞内钙离子（Ca2+）参与多种细胞过程。本综述详细概述了TRP家族的创始成员——果蝇TRP通道的历史。该领域始于trp基因的自发突变，该突变导致果蝇在长时间强光照射下出现失明突变体。正是这个突变体促成了首个TRP通道的发现。电生理学、生物化学、钙离子测量以及果蝇和其他无脊椎动物的遗传学研究相结合，表明TRP是一种新型的磷脂酰肌醇调节且钙离子可通透的通道。trp基因的克隆和测序确定了其分子身份。这些开创性的发现导致了果蝇TRP通道首个哺乳动物同源物的分离。我们现在知道，TRP通道蛋白在进化过程中是保守的，存在于大多数生物体、组织和细胞类型中。TRP通道超家族分为七个相关亚家族：TRPC、TRPM、TRPV、TRPA、TRPP、TRPML和TRPN。如今，我们对TRP通道参与许多生物学过程有了很多了解，包括疼痛引发、体温调节、唾液分泌、炎症、心血管调节、平滑肌张力、压力调节、钙离子和镁离子稳态以及溶酶体功能。发现TRP通道超家族创始成员的果蝇原生感光细胞，仍然是研究这种非凡通道基本特征的有用实验材料。
