Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology· 2013Q1· Review
TRP Channels and Pain
- 1,135citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2013year
Short summary
Natural irritants from plants like pepper and mint have identified three Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) ion channels (TRPV1, TRPM8, TRPA1) as key molecular detectors of thermal and chemical stimuli that initiate pain sensation.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- TRPV1, TRPM8, and TRPA1 channels detect thermal and chemical stimuli.
- These channels activate sensory neurons, initiating pain signals.
- TRP channels confirm nociceptors as specialized pain-sensing neurons.
- Characterization of these channels is crucial for developing new pain medications.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Nociception is the process whereby primary afferent nerve fibers of the somatosensory system detect noxious stimuli. Pungent irritants from pepper, mint, and mustard plants have served as powerful pharmacological tools for identifying molecules and mechanisms underlying this initial step of pain sensation. These natural products have revealed three members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel family--TRPV1, TRPM8, and TRPA1--as molecular detectors of thermal and chemical stimuli that activate sensory neurons to produce acute or persistent pain. Analysis of TRP channel function and expression has validated the existence of nociceptors as a specialized group of somatosensory neurons devoted to the detection of noxious stimuli. These studies are also providing insight into the coding logic of nociception and how specification of nociceptor subtypes underlies behavioral discrimination of noxious thermal, chemical, and mechanical stimuli. Biophysical and pharmacological characterization of these channels has provided the intellectual and technical foundation for developing new classes of analgesic drugs.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology, 2013 · DOI ↗
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Field: Sensory Systems
Sensory SystemsNeuroscience