Airway Pathogenesis Is Linked to TRP Channels

This chapter focuses on the role of these channels in normal and abnormal airway function. A critical role for TRPA1 in the pathogenesis of asthma has been shown in several studies using the Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) knockout mouse. In the context of some of these diseases, it has been found that the function and/or the expression of some TRP channels may be altered. TRPA1 is one of the most extensively studied channels in the airway, and emerging evidence points toward a major role for TRPA1 in the lung's defense system. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a term used to describe a number of conditions including emphysema that affects the alveoli, and chronic bronchitis affecting the bronchi. Chronic cough is typically defined as a cough that lasts longer than 8 weeks and occurs in approximately 40% of the population.