Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Yeast Luminometric and Xenopus Oocyte Electrophysiological Examinations of the Molecular Mechanosensitivity of TRPV4
Published on: December 31, 2013
TRP channels activated by extracellular hypo-osmoticity in epithelia
1Institut für Pharmakologie, Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin, Thielallee 69-73, 14195 Berlin, Germany. christian.Harteneck@charite.de
Abstract:
TRP (transient receptor potential) channels comprise a superfamily of non-selective cation channels with at least seven subfamilies. The variety of subfamilies corresponds to the differences in the activation mechanisms and functions. TRPM3 (TRP melastatin 3) and TRPV4 (TRP vanilloid 3) have been characterized as cation channels activated by extracellular hypo-osmoticity. In addition, TRPV4 is activated by metabolites of arachidonic acid as well as alpha-isomers of phorbol esters known to be ineffective in stimulating proteins of the protein kinase C family. TRPM3 is responsive to sphingosine derivatives. The detection of splice variants with probably different activation mechanisms supports the idea that TRPM3 may have diverse cellular functions depending on the expression of a particular variant. The expression of TRPV4 in many epithelial cell types raised the question of the role of TRPV4 in epithelial physiology. Single-cell experiments as well as approaches using epithelial layers show that multiple cellular responses are triggered by TRPV4 activation and subsequent elevation of intracellular calcium. The TRPV4-induced responses increasing transcellular ion flux as well as paracellular permeability may allow the cells to adjust to changes in extracellular osmolarity. In summary, TRPV4 plays a central role in epithelial homoeostasis by modulating epithelial barrier function.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Reabsorption and Secretion in the DCT and Collecting Duct
The distal part of the DCT, along with the...
Transcellular Transport of Solutes
Ion Channels
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow specific...
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels
Sensory organs,...
Thermosensation
Reabsorption and Secretion in the Loop of Henle

