Increasingly irritable and close to tears: TRPA1 in inflammatory pain

TRP cation channels transduce mechanical, thermal, and pain-related inflammatory signals. In this issue of Cell, it is reported that TRPA1 has a central role in the pain response to endogenous inflammatory mediators and to a diverse array of volatile irritants, including those found in tear gas and garlic. In contrast, mechano- and thermosensation are normal in TRPA1-deficient mice.