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The capsaicin receptor: a heat-activated ion channel in the pain pathway

1997; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 389; Issue: 6653 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/39807

1476-4687

Michael J. Caterina, Mark Schumacher, Makoto Tominaga, Tobias A. Rosen, Jon D. Levine, David Julius,

Ion channel regulation and function

Capsaicin, the main pungent ingredient in ‘hot’ chilli peppers, elicits a sensation of burning pain by selectively activating sensory neurons that convey information about noxious stimuli to the central nervous system. We have used an expression cloning strategy based on calcium influx to isolate a functional cDNA encoding a capsaicin receptor from sensory neurons. This receptor is a non-selective cation channel that is structurally related to members of the TRP family of ion channels. The cloned capsaicin receptor is also activated by increases in temperature in the noxious range, suggesting that it functions as a transducer of painful thermal stimuli in vivo.