LAUSR.org creates dashboard-style pages of related content for over 1.5 million academic articles. Sign Up to like articles & get recommendations!

Membrane Heterogeneity Controls Cellular Endocytic Trafficking

Photo from wikipedia

Endocytic trafficking relies on highly localized events in cell membranes. Endocytosis involves the gathering of protein (cargo/receptor) at distinct plasma membrane locations defined by specific lipid and protein compositions. Simultaneously,… Click to show full abstract

Endocytic trafficking relies on highly localized events in cell membranes. Endocytosis involves the gathering of protein (cargo/receptor) at distinct plasma membrane locations defined by specific lipid and protein compositions. Simultaneously, the molecular machinery that drives invagination and eventually scission of the endocytic vesicle assembles at the very same place on the inner leaflet of the membrane. It is membrane heterogeneity – the existence of specific lipid and protein domains in localized regions of membranes – that creates the distinct molecular identity required for an endocytic event to occur precisely when and where it is required rather than at some random location within the plasma membrane. Accumulating evidence leads us to believe that the trafficking fate of internalized proteins is sealed following endocytosis, as this distinct membrane identity is preserved through the endocytic pathway, upon fusion of endocytic vesicles with early and sorting endosomes. In fact, just like at the plasma membrane, multiple domains coexist at the surface of these endosomes, regulating local membrane tubulation, fission and sorting to recycling pathways or to the trans-Golgi network via late endosomes. From here, membrane heterogeneity ensures that fusion events between intracellular vesicles and larger compartments are spatially regulated to promote the transport of cargoes to their intracellular destination.

Keywords: endocytic trafficking; membrane heterogeneity; heterogeneity controls; membrane; plasma membrane

Journal Title: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
Year Published: 2020

Link to full text (if available)


Share on Social Media:                               Sign Up to like & get
recommendations!

Related content

More Information              News              Social Media              Video              Recommended



                Click one of the above tabs to view related content.