The enigmatic TRPCs: multifunctional cation channels

Canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channels are vertebrate homologs of the Drosophila photoreceptor channel. Considerable research has been carried out on the seven members of this family, particularly regarding their possible role in Ca2+ entry. However, the current literature presents a confusing picture, with different laboratories describing widely differing results and interpretations. In this article, I will discuss the possibility that these diverse experimental findings arise from a true multifunctional ability of TRPC channels that serves distinct physiological functions in different cell types.