著者
富永 真琴 Michael J. CATERINA Tobias A. ROSEN David JULIUS
出版者
一般社団法人 日本生物物理学会
雑誌
生物物理 (ISSN:05824052)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.39, no.3, pp.159-164, 1999-05-25 (Released:2000-04-12)
参考文献数
19
被引用文献数
1 1

Capsaicin, the main pungent ingredient in 'hot' chili peppers, elicits burning pain by activating specific (vanilloid) receptors on sensory nerve endings. We have isolated a functional cDNA encoding a capsaicin receptor from sensory neurons using an expression cloning strategy. The cloned vanilloid receptor (VR1) is a nonselective cation channel with six transmembrane domains that is structurally related to a member of the TRP family. VR1 is also activated by increases in temperature in the nonoxious range (>43 °C. We also find that protons decrease the temperature threshold for VR1 activation such that even moderately acidic conditions (pH