Caveolae and their coat proteins, the caveolins: From electron microscopicnovelty to biological launching pad

Caveolins are a family of proteins that coat the cytoplasmic face of caveol ae, vesicular invaginations of the plasma membrane. These proteins are cent ral to the organization of the proteins and lipids that reside in caveolae. Caveolins transport cholestrol to and from caveolae, and they regulate the activity of signaling proteins that reside in caveolae. Studying the genes encoding the caveolae coat proteins, we have learned much about how they p erform these multiple functions. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.