the vanilloid trp subfamily (trpv) named after the vanilloid receptor 1 consist of six members, four of them (trpv1-trpv4) have been related to thermal sensation. trpv2 shares 50% of its homology with trpv1. compared to trpv1 channels, trpv2 channels do not open in response to vanilloids like capsaicin or thermal stimuli around 43 °c. this may be due to the composition of the ankyrin repeat domains in trpv2, which are different than those in trpv1. however, trpv2 channels can open by noxious temperatures greater than 52 °c. trpv2 initially was characterized as a noxious heat sensor channel, but more evidence suggest its importance in various osmosensory and mechanosensory mechanisms. the channel can open in response to a variety of stimuli including hormones, growth factors, mechanical stretching, heat, osmotic swelling, lysophospholipids, and cannabinoids. these channels are expressed in medium to large diameter neurons, motor neurons, and other non-neuronal tissues like the heart and lungs, which indicates its versatile function. the channel has an important role for basic cell function including contraction, cell proliferation, and cell death. the same channel can have different functions depending on the type of tissue. other roles of trpv2 continue to be explored in an attempt to define the role of translocation of trpv2 by growth factors.