Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 29, 2025

Purification and Reconstitution of TRPV1 for Spectroscopic Analysis
Published on: July 3, 2018
Structural insights into the gating mechanisms of TRPV channels
Ruth A Pumroy1, Edwin C Fluck1, Tofayel Ahmed1
1Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.
Abstract:
Transient Receptor Potential channels from the vanilloid subfamily (TRPV) are a group of cation channels modulated by a variety of endogenous stimuli as well as a range of natural and synthetic compounds. Their roles in human health make them of keen interest, particularly from a pharmacological perspective. However, despite this interest, the complexity of these channels has made it difficult to obtain high resolution structures until recently. With the cryo-EM resolution revolution, TRPV channel structural biology has blossomed to produce dozens of structures, covering every TRPV family member and a variety of approaches to examining channel modulation. Here, we review all currently available TRPV structures and the mechanistic insights into gating that they reveal.
Related Concept Videos
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Three Subfamilies of Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Ligand-gated ion channels fall into three subfamilies. The 'Cys-loop' includes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors. The second one is the 'Pore-loop' channels that...
Non-gated Ion Channels
Compared to the gated ion channels, the non-gated channels, also known as leakage or passive channels, have no gating mechanism....
Voltage-gated Ion Channels
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several...
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels
Sensory...

