Is Zn the new Ca for TRPC6 channels in the myocardium?

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are nonselective cation channels, which are mainly permeable to Ca and Na but many of them are also permeable to Zn. In a new elegant study, a Zn-dependent pathway involving the TRP member TRPC6 and α1- as well as β-adrenoceptors (AR) was dissected in rodent myocytes. Norepinephrine-mediated activation of α1-AR induces Zn influx through TRPC6 channels, which reinforces β-AR-mediated positive inotropy and may help patients with heart failure. This work encourages a closer look at the consequences of Zn permeation through TRP channels in human health and disease.