ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION OF THE CYTOSKELETON IN POLARIZED EPITHELIAL-CELLS - A COMPONENT OF THE PROTEIN SORTING MACHINERY

Development and maintenance of cell-surface polarity in epithelial cel ls requires specialized localization of proteins to functionally and s tructurally distinct plasma membrane domains. The organization of thes e domains is dependent upon targeted delivery of transport vesicles be tween different membrane compartments, and upon protein sorting in the membranes of the Golgi complex and cell surface. Increasing evidence has been gathered in recent years that cytoskeletal components facilit ate these processes.