A hallmark of the GABA projection neurons of the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), a key basal ganglia output nucleus, is its depolarized membrane potential and rapid spontaneous spikes that encode the basal ganglia output. Parkinsonian movement disorders are often associated with abnormalities in SNr GABA neuron firing intensity and/or pattern. A fundamental question remains regarding th...

Transient receptor potential channels have diverse roles in mechanosensation. Evidence is accumulating that members of the canonical subfamily of TRP channels (TRPC) are involved in touch and hearing. Characteristic features of TRP channels include their high structural homology and their propensity to form heteromeric complexes which suggests potential functional redundancy. We previously show...

It is well established that transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are activated following stimulation of G protein-coupled membrane receptors linked to PLC, but their differential expression in various cells of the renal nephron has not been described. In the present study, immunoprecipitations from rat kidney lysates followed by Western blot analysis using TRPC-specific, affinity-purifie...

Transient receptor potential channel, TRPM4, the putative molecular substrate for Ca2+-activated nonselective cation current (ICAN), is hypothesized to generate bursting activity of pre-Bötzinger complex (pre-BötC) inspiratory neurons and critically contribute to respiratory rhythmogenesis. Another TRP channel, TRPC3, which mediates Na+/Ca2+ fluxes, may be involved in regulating Ca2+-related si...

Substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) is a key basal ganglia output nucleus critical for movement control. Its GABA-containing projection neurons intermingle with nigral dopamine (DA) neuron dendrites. Here we show that SNr GABA neurons coexpress dopamine D(1) and D(5) receptor mRNAs and also mRNA for TRPC3 channels. Dopamine induced an inward current in these neurons and increased their firin...

In previous in vitro studies, we showed that Transient Receptor Potential Canonical 3 (TRPC3), a calcium-permeable, nonselective cation channel endowed with high constitutive function, is an obligatory component of the inflammatory signaling that controls expression of the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and monocyte adhesion to coronary artery endothelial cells. Also, TRPC3 expressi...

Vasomotion describes oscillations of arterial vascular tone due to synchronized changes of intracellular calcium concentrations. Since increased calcium influx into vascular smooth muscle cells from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) has been associated with variances of transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels, in the present study we tested the hypothesis that increased vasom...

Large-conductance (BK(Ca) type) Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels encoded by the Slo1 gene and various canonical transient receptor potential channels (TRPCs) are coexpressed in many cell types, including podocytes (visceral epithelial cells) of the renal glomerulus. In this study, we show by coimmunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays that BK(Ca) channels can associate with endogenous TRPC3 an...

RATIONALE The cellular and molecular basis for post-myocardial infarction (MI) structural and functional remodeling is not well understood. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to determine if Ca2+ influx through transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels contributes to post-MI structural and functional remodeling. METHODS AND RESULTS TRPC1/3/4/6 channel mRNA increased after MI in mice and was...

Ca(2+) signaling is pivotal for sperm maturation, including the processes of motility, capacitation, and the acrosome reaction. As a Ca(2+) conductor, transient receptor potential-canonical 3 (TRPC3) plays an important role in somatic cells. However, the function of TRPC3 in sperm is not well understood. Here, a pharmacological approach was used to investigate the role and mechanism of TPRC3 in...