Transient receptor potential (TRP) proteins constitute a large family of non-selective cation channels that are polymodal or promiscous and activated by many different stimuli such as molecules partially through receptors, changes of pH, temperature, and diverse mechanical stimuli, but only rarely by voltage itself. In the vascular system mechanical stimuli are of specific interest since physical forces are constantly acting and changing and are thus signals of outmost importance herein. The large family of TRP channels can be divided in six different subgroups, the canonical (TRPC1-7), vanilloid (TRPV1-6), melastatin (TRPM1-8), polycystin (TRPP1-4), mucolipin (TRPML1-3), and the ankyrin subgroup (TRPA1). Of these channels some members of the canonical (TRPC) and the vanilloid subgroup (TRPV) are expressed in vascular cells and physiological functions have been identified. TRPC1 and TRPC6 are implicated in smooth muscle cell function and specifically TRPC6 may contribute to myogenic activity, the vessels active constriction in response to stretch. Herein, TRPC6 may provide a current leading to depolarisation or directly serve to increase Ca²⁺-influx. Additionally, TRPC6 is suggested to be part of the signalling pathway upon G-protein coupled receptor activation since it is activated by diacylglycerin which is produced during this signalling mechanism. In endothelial cells, TRPV4 has been demonstrated to act as signalling channel in flow-induced vasodilation possibly by enhancing Ca²⁺ influx in response to enhanced shear stress. This may result in enhanced production and release of endothelial autacoids such as nitric oxide and the endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). Consequently, TRPV4 activation or TRPC6 inhibition may be strategies to lower elevated blood pressure. In conclusion, the recent explosion of research on TRP channels including their role in the cardiovascular system has opened a new research area and probably only some of functions of TRP channels in arteries are just beginning to be unraveled.