Caveolae: from cell biology to animal physiology.
Among the membrane compartments of a cell, vesicles known as "caveolae" have long defied functional characterization. However, since the identification of a family of proteins termed "caveolins", that form and reside in caveolae, a better understanding has emerged. It is now clear that caveolae do not merely play a singular role in the cell, but are pleiotropic in nature-serving to modulate many cellular functions. The purpose of this review is to explicate what is known about caveolins/caveolae and highlight growing areas of caveolar research.
Razani
Babak
B
Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York 10461, USA.
Woodman
Scott E
SE
Lisanti
Michael P
MP
D000818:Animals; D021941:Caveolae / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D022461:Caveolins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction
D022461:Caveolins; D002784:Cholesterol