TRP channels in transduction for responses to odorants and pheromones

Abstract

Transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily C, member 2 (TRPC2) is a TRP channel expressed by sensory neurons in the vomeronasal organ. Clearly the TRPC2 channel is critically important for transduction in the vomeronasal sensory neurons. However, it appears that TRPC2 is not the only channel that mediates chemical transduction in the VNO. In addition the transient receptor potential channel M5 (TRPM5) is expressed in approximately 5 % of the olfactory sensory neurons in the main olfactory epithelium where it plays a role in responding to intraspecific semiochemicals (chemicals involved in animal communication of the same species). Interestingly, TRPC2 is expressed in rodents but not in humans, whereas TRPM5 is expressed in the human raising the question for future work whether this TRP channel is involved in human semiochemical transduction.