title: Macropinocytosis.
abstract: Macropinocytosis is a form of endocytosis that accompanies cell surface ruffling. It is distinct in many ways from the better characterized micropinocytosis, which includes clathrin-coated vesicle endocytosis and small uncoated vesicles. Because macropinosomes are relatively large, they provide an efficient route for non-selective endocytosis of solute macromolecules. This route may facilitate MHC-class-II-restricted antigen presentation by dendritic cells. Because the ruffling that leads to macropinocytosis is regulated, it has been exploited by some pathogenic bacteria as a novel route for entry into cells.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Watts