Membrane rafts and caveolae in cardiovascular signaling.
OBJECTIVE
Substantial evidence documents the key role of lipid (membrane) rafts and caveolae as microdomains that concentrate a wide variety of receptors and postreceptor components regulated by hormones, neurotransmitters and growth factors.


RESULTS
Recent data document that these microdomains are important in regulating vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells and renal epithelial cells, and particularly in signal transduction across the plasma membrane.


CONCLUSIONS
Raft/caveolae domains are cellular regions, including in cardiovascular and renal epithelial cells, which organize a large number of signal transduction components, thereby providing spatially and temporally efficient regulation of cell function.
Insel
Paul A
PA
Departments of Pharmacology, University of California, San Diego, California, USA. pinsel@ucsd.edu
Patel
Hemal H
HH
D000818:Animals; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D021941:Caveolae / Q000502:physiology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*