caveola

Introduction

An invagination, 50-100 nm in diameter, of the plasma membrane resulting from integration of caveolin-1 into lipid rafts. Polymerization of caveolins may play of role. The caveolae may dissociate from the membrane & form intracellular vesicles.

Function

• endocytosis (alternate endocytic pathway to clathrin coated pits)
• transcytosis

Constituents

• lipids
  • cholesterol
• proteins
  • integral membrane proteins
    • caveolin 1 & 2
    • synaptobrevin 2
  • signaling molecules
    • heterotrimeric G proteins
    • nonreceptor tyrosine kinases
    • RAS
    • eNOS
  • motor/transport proteins
    • dynamin
    • N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion protein (NSF)

More general terms

• lipid rafts

Additional terms

• caveolin
• intracellular vesicle