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Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Purification and Reconstitution of TRPV1 for Spectroscopic Analysis
Published on: July 3, 2018
Irreversible temperature gating in trpv1 sheds light on channel activation
Ana Sánchez-Moreno1, Eduardo Guevara-Hernández1,2, Ricardo Contreras-Cervera2
1Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, México City, México.
Abstract:
Temperature-activated TRP channels or thermoTRPs are among the only proteins that can directly convert temperature changes into changes in channel open probability. In spite of a wealth of functional and structural information, the mechanism of temperature activation remains unknown. We have carefully characterized the repeated activation of TRPV1 by thermal stimuli and discovered a previously unknown inactivation process, which is irreversible. We propose that this form of gating in TRPV1 channels is a consequence of the heat absorption process that leads to channel opening.
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