The family carries eight putative transmembrane domains, and, although it has no similarity to other known channel proteins, it is clearly a calcium-activated ionic channel. It is expressed in various secretory epithelia, the retina and sensory neurons, and mediates receptor-activated chloride currents in diverse physiological processes [1].

1: TMEM16A confers receptor-activated calcium-dependent chloride conductance. Yang YD, Cho H, Koo JY, Tak MH, Cho Y, Shim WS, Park SP, Lee J, Lee B, Kim BM, Raouf R, Shin YK, Oh U; Nature, 2008; [Epub ahead of print] PMID:18724360