Abstract
It is a long known paradigm that inorganic ions such as Ca2+ play an essential role in control of cell proliferation, death and survival. The universality of Ca2+ and other inorganic ions has frequently led to paradoxical difficulty in unraveling correlation of these factors with specific biological responses. Remarkable development in genome/protein science has provided powerful tools to tackle this problem. The recently discovered gene superfamily for transient receptor potential (trp) protein (TRP) and its homologues is an excellent example to discuss this issue. TRP homologues have been demonstrated to form Ca2+-permeable cation channels that sense wide aspects of extracellular stimuli: temperature, pH, redox and metabolic stresses, and stimulation of plasmamembrane receptors by humoral factors. The topics of the symposium include the dramatic progress in establishing functional characteristics of TRP Ca2+/ cation channels. To gain fundamental understanding on determinants that link TRP channels to specific cellular responses, we will particularly focus on the issue how TRPs transform the above stimuli into signals that regulate activation of transcription factors, cell cycle, and other Ca2+-dependent responses, ultimately contributing to control of cell fate and homeostasis. Other channels such as Cl− channels that link to cell death are also an important subject of the symposium. [Jpn J Physiol 54 Suppl:S28 (2004)]
