Tumor diseases are unfortunately quick spreading, even though numerous studies are under way to improve early diagnosis and targeted treatments that take into account both the different characteristics associated with the various tumor types and the conditions of individual patients. In recent years, studies have focused on the role of ion channels in tumor development, as these proteins are involved in several cellular processes relevant to neoplastic transformation. Among all ion channels, many studies have focused on the superfamily of Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels, which are non-selective cation channels mediating extracellular Ca2+ influx. In this review, we examined the role of different endothelial TRP channel isoforms in tumor vessel formation, a process that is essential in tumor growth and metastasis.
Keywords: Ca2+ signaling; endothelial cells; endothelial colony-forming cells; transient receptor potential; tumor vascularization.