Channels of the TRP superfamily have sensory roles in a wide variety of receptor cells, especially in mechanosensation. In some cases, the channels appear to be directly activated by mechanical force; in others, they appear to be downstream of a messenger pathway initiated by force on a non-channel sensor. A remaining challenge for most of these mechanosensory TRPs is to clarify the specific me...

Nature has devised various strategies for sensing food so species can coexist and exploit different types of prey. Sharks can detect amino acids in blood as low as 1 ppb, while hawks and buzzards scan the Earth from a height of ∼10,000 feet looking for rodents. However, not all birds rely on their keen sense of sight to acquire food. Albatross hover above the water to smell floating food and fo...