Epithelial layers, such as those lining the airways or the gut, are normally involved in a barrier function as well as in transporting ions and nutrients. Both activities require the polarized distribution of proteins, particularly transport proteins (e.g., ion channels), in luminal and basolateral membranes. Most of the participating transport proteins have already been identified, and newcomers are received with expectation. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are good examples of novel cation transport proteins whose relevance in epithelial physiology is just starting to emerge. In this chapter we focus on the role of the TRPV4 channel in ciliated epithelia.
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