CROWDED LITTLE CAVES - STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF CAVEOLAE

Caveolae are small vesicular invaginations of the cell membrane. It is within this organelle that cells perform transcytosis, potocytosis an d signal transduction. These ''little caves'' are composed of a mixtur e of lipids and proteins unlike those found in the plasma membrane pro per. The chief structural proteins of caveolae are caveolins. To date, three caveolins (Cav-1, -2 and -3) with unique tissue distributions h ave been identified. Caveolins form a scaffold onto which many signall ing molecules can assemble, to generate pre-assembled signalling compl exes. In addition to concentrating these signal transducers within a d istinct region of the plasma membrane, caveolin binding may functional ly regulate the activation state of caveolae-associated signalling mol ecules. CELL SIGNAL 10;7:457-463, 1998. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.