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Forschungsschwerpunkt

TRP channel electrophysiology

TRP channels perform a very wide variety of physiological roles. TRP channels were originally found in photoreceptors of the fruit fly Drosophila (which display a Transient Receptor Potential when the TRP protein is mutated). Subsequently, a large number of mammalian TRP channels were found by expression or homology cloning. TRPC (classical or canonical) channels are nonselective Ca2+ permeable cation channels that belong to the group of receptor operated channels (ROCs) that are activated in a phospholipase C-dependent manner. This can occur following the activation of G protein-coupled receptors e.g. by hormones and neurotransmitters or following the activation of receptor tyrosine kinases e.g. by growth factors. We study the basic properties of members of this subfamily including ion permeation and channel regulation in heterologous expression systems, and their properties and role in native tissues (e.g. central neurones).

Ausgewählte Publikationen

• Strotmann R, Semtner M, Kepura F, Plant TD, Schöneberg T. (2010) Interdomain interactions control Ca2+-dependent potentiation in the cation channel TRPV4.
  PLoS One. 5(5):e10580.
• Semtner M, Schaefer M, Pinkenburg O, Plant TD. (2007) Potentiation of TRPC5 by protons. J Biol Chem. 282, 33868-33878.
• Strotmann R, Schultz G, Plant TD. (2003) Ca2+-dependent potentiation of the nonselective cation channel TRPV4 is mediated by a C-terminal calmodulin binding site.
  J Biol Chem. 278:26541-26549.
• Jung S, Mühle A, Schaefer M, Strotmann R, Schultz G, Plant TD. (2003) Lanthanides potentiate TRPC5 currents by an action at extracellular sites close to the pore mouth.
  J Biol Chem. 278, 3562-3571.
• Strotmann R, Harteneck C, Nunnenmacher K, Schultz G, Plant TD. (2000) OTRPC4, a nonselective cation channel that confers sensitivity to extracellular osmolarity.
  Nat Cell Biol. 2, 695-702.