The mammalian transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily can be divided into three major families including the "canonical TRP"(TRPC) family. The seven members of this family share the activation through PLC-coupled receptors and have been suggested to be components of receptor-regulated cation channels in different cell types. Furthermore, the members of the TRPC6/6/7 subfamily can be activated by diacylglycerol (DAG) analogs, suggesting a possible mechanism of activation of these channels by PLC-coupled receptors. When expressed in transfected cells, TRPC6 acts as a non-selective store-independent receptor-activated cation channel. It is activated by DAG in a PKC-independent manner and is insensitive to IP3 activation. There is increasing evidence that TRPC6 encodes endogenous DAG-activated receptor-operated cation channels in vivo.
