New frontier: Investigating regulation of lysosomal ion channels at elevated temperatures in the native system

Ion channel activity is modulated by various stimuli including voltage, pH, lipids or neurotransmitters that turn various inputs into electrical signals. In addition, the activity can also be modulated by temperature with the example of the transient receptor potential (TRP) family of ion channels that show a remarkably high sensitivity to changes in temperature and mediate temperature-sensation in animals. While temperature dependence has been extensively characterized for ion channels in the plasma membrane, the thermal sensitivity of organellar ion channels remains largely unexplored, mostly due to significant technical barriers, recordings have been restricted to room temperature, potentially masking critical physiological behaviors.