Background　The transient receptor potential ankyrin 1(TRPA1) is a member of the Transient Receptor Ion Channel family, which was discovered in a study about coughing firstly. Some later investigations showed that TRPA1 is almost distributed in various tissues and is involved in the occurrence and development of a variety of diseases.　Objective　To summarize and analyze the mechanism of TRPA1 participating in various physiological and pathological function of the body.　Content　The distribution, structure and their roles in peripheral and central nervous system were introduced.　Trend　TRPA1 may serve as a promising target for the treatment of pain in the future.