Potocytosis of small molecules and ions by caveolae.
Potocytosis is an endocytic process for concentrating and taking up small molecules and ions. The vehicle for internalization is the caveolae, a membrane specialization that has previously been implicated in membrane internalization. Within closed caveolae, the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored class of membrane proteins generate high concentrations of small molecules or ions either by releasing receptor-bound species, by enzymatically converting abundant extracellular molecules, or by releasing them from a sequestered, soluble carrier protein. This pathway may also be involved in novel signal-transducing devices.
Anderson
R G
RG
Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235, USA.