ABSTRACT
Transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels function as polymodal cellular sensors involved in the —ne-tuning of many physiological processes.1-8 Intriguingly, mutations in the encoding genes cause a plethora of diseases, and TRP channels are considered, to date, the most attractive channel targets by the pharmaceutical industry. This exploding interest in TRP channels makes it necessary to revisit some of the elementary methods and tools to describe these proteins as what they are, ion channels. Without any doubt, the most direct way to approach function of ion channels is the
11.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 237 11.2 Patch-Clamp Technique ................................................................................ 238 11.3 Study of Pore Properties ............................................................................... 239
11.3.1 Conduction Properties ...................................................................... 239 11.3.1.1 Characterizing Ionic Permeability ..................................... 239 11.3.1.2 Selectivity Sequences (Eisenman Series) ..........................240 11.3.1.3 Pore Block .......................................................................... 241 11.3.1.4 Fractional Ca2+ Currents ....................................................242
