International Journal of Molecular Sciences Review TRPV4: A Physio and Pathophysiologically Significant Ion Channel Tamara Rosenbaum 1,* , Miguel Benítez-Angeles 1, Raúl Sánchez-Hernández 1, Sara Luz Morales-Lázaro 1, Marcia Hiriart 1 , Luis Eduardo Morales-Buenrostro 2 and Francisco Torres-Quiroz 3 1 Departamento de Neurociencia Cognitiva, División Neurociencias, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
[email protected] (M.B.-A.);
[email protected] (R.S.-H.);
[email protected] (S.L.M.-L.);
[email protected] (M.H.) 2 Departamento de Nefrología y Metabolismo Mineral, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City 14080, Mexico;
[email protected] 3 Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Estructural, División Investigación Básica, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City 04510, Mexico;
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[email protected]; Tel.: +52-555-622-56-24; Fax: +52-555-622-56-07 Received: 3 May 2020; Accepted: 24 May 2020; Published: 28 May 2020 Abstract: Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are a family of ion channels whose members are distributed among all kinds of animals, from invertebrates to vertebrates. The importance of these molecules is exemplified by the variety of physiological roles they play. Perhaps, the most extensively studied member of this family is the TRPV1 ion channel; nonetheless, the activity of TRPV4 has been associated to several physio and pathophysiological processes, and its dysfunction can lead to severe consequences. Several lines of evidence derived from animal models and even clinical trials in humans highlight TRPV4 as a therapeutic target and as a protein that will receive even more attention in the near future, as will be reviewed here.