Eisosomes and plasma membrane organization

OLIVERA-COUTO, A. AND AGUILAR, P.S.

MOLECULAR GENETICS AND GENOMICS

SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

Lugar: HEIDELBERG; Año: 2012 vol. 287 p. 607 - 620

1617-4615

Membrane compartmentalization allows the spatial segregation of different functions, such as signal transduction and protein trafficking, and ensures their fidelity and efficiency. Eisosomes constitute nanoscale furrow-like invaginations of the plasma membrane where proteins and lipids segregate. The intense interest elicited by eisosomes over the last few years has led to the identification and molecular characterization of their key constituents. This review addresses eisosome structure, functions and its implications for the mechanistic under- standing of curvature-induced membrane nanodomains formation and signaling compartmentalization in living cells.