Cellular signaling endocytosis

In addition to its well established role in targeting proteins for degradation, ubiquitination has also been shown to play a role in cellular signalling. Thus, ubiquitination of the yeast plasma membrane receptor, Ste2p (a G-protein-coupled receptor that binds a mating pheromone), acts as a signal for its ligand-stimulated endocytosis. 

In addition to cellular signalling mechanisms, vesicle budding and endocytosis are intimately involved in membrane trafficking and receptor-mediated internalization of ligands such as plasma low density lipoprotein, LDL. In the plasma membrane... 

A process in which a substance gains entry into a cell. Endocytic mechanisms are crucial for a variety of cellular functions such as the uptake of nutrients, regulation of cell surface expression of receptors, maintenance of cell polarity, and more. Receptor-mediated endocytosis via clathrin-coated pits is the most studied endocytic process, which is important for regulation of the time and magnitude of signals generated by a variety of cell-surface receptors. 

Membranes are highly viscous, plastic structures. Plasma membranes form closed compartments around cellular protoplasm to separate one cell from another and thus permit cellular individuality. The plasma membrane has selective permeabilities and acts as a barrier, thereby maintaining differences in composition between the inside and outside of the cell. The selective permeabilities are provided mainly by channels and pumps for ions and substrates. The plasma membrane also exchanges material with the extracellular environment by exocytosis and endocytosis, and there are special areas of membrane strucmre—the gap junctions— through which adjacent cells exchange material. In addition, the plasma membrane plays key roles in cellcell interactions and in transmembrane signaling. 

The polyvalent nature of dendrimers has been investigated as vehicles for carrying multiple chelator groups to enhance signals in various imaging applications (Barthand Soloway, 1994 Yoo et al., 1999 Kobayashi et al., 2000, 2001 Sato et al., 2001). In addition, in certain chelate-dendrimer constructs, excess amines on the dendrimer surface can aid in the cellular uptake process through charge-mediated endocytosis. 

Endocytosis / Phagocytosis Active Transport Cellular Proliferation Intracellular Cytokine Production Intracellular Signal Transduction Intracellular Free Ions (e.g., Na, K, Ca)... 

In this chapter we first describe the composition of cellular membranes and their chemical architecture— the molecular structures that underlie their biological functions. Next, we consider the remarkable dynamic features of membranes, in which lipids and proteins move relative to each other. Cell adhesion, endocytosis, and the membrane fusion accompanying neurotransmitter secretion illustrate the dynamic role of membrane proteins. We then turn to the protein-mediated passage of solutes across membranes via transporters and ion channels. In later chapters we discuss the role of membranes in signal transduction (Chapters 12 and 23), energy transduction (Chapter 19), lipid synthesis (Chapter 21), and protein synthesis (Chapter 27). 

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