Plasma membrane microdomains.
Several lines of evidence indicate that the lipids in the plasma membrane of animal cells are inhomogeneously distributed, and that various types of specialized lipid domains play an important role in many biological processes. The characteristics of these domains, such as size, composition and dynamics, are currently under active investigation. It appears that there are many different types of membrane domains in the plasma membrane, and perhaps the entire membrane should be viewed as a mosaic of microdomains.
Maxfield
Frederick R
FR
Department of Biochemistry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. frmaxfie@med.cornell.edu
D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D021941:Caveolae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological
D000199:Actins; D008563:Membrane Lipids