Cellular spelunking: exploring adipocyte caveolae.
It has been known for decades that the adipocyte cell surface is particularly rich in small invaginations we now know to be caveolae. These structures are common to many cell types but are not ubiquitous. They have generated considerable curiosity, as manifested by the numerous publications on the topic that describe various, sometimes contradictory, caveolae functions. Here, we review the field from an "adipocentric" point of view and suggest that caveolae may have a function of particular use for the fat cell, namely the modulation of fatty acid flux across the plasma membrane. Other functions for adipocyte caveolae that have been postulated include participation in signal transduction and membrane trafficking pathways, and it will require further experimental scrutiny to resolve controversies surrounding these possible activities.
Pilch
Paul F
PF
Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA. ppilch@bu.edu
Souto
Ricardo P
RP
Liu
Libin
L
Jedrychowski
Mark P
MP
Berg
Eric A
EA
Costello
Catherine E
CE
Gygi
Steven P
SP
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D021941:Caveolae / Q000378:metabolism; D022461:Caveolins / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D010766:Phosphorylation; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism
D022461:Caveolins; D007328:Insulin; D014443:Tyrosine