Trimeric intracellular cation-specific (TRIC) channels are critical for proper management of intracellular stores. TRIC-A and TRIC-B both belong to this family and are both permeable to monovalent ions with a preference for K+ 3. Both channels are localized to the ER/SR membrane. Each TRIC subunit contains three transmembrane domains, a cytoplasmic C-terminus and a luminal N-terminus. Functional entities are formed by homotrimerizarion4. The activity of TRIC-A is regulated by voltage whereas that of TRIC-B can be regulated by different mechanisms3. Knock out studies of these channels have shown that TRIC-A knock mice are viable while those of TRIC-B die at the neonatal stage.nTRIC-A is mostly expressed in excitable tissues like the brain and muscle while TRIC-B is ubiquitously expressed.
