Abstract
The delivery of secretory vesicles to appropriate docking and fusion sites on the plasma membrane is crucial for many cellular functions, including formation of synapses, exocytosis of neurotransmitter, establishment and maintenance of cell polarity, cell growth and plasma membrane wound healing. Cell-biological, genetic and biochemical approaches have identified crucial proteins and protein interactions important for vesicle docking and fusion. However, a description of the molecular mechanisms underlying vesicle targeting to specific membrane-fusion sites remains elusive. This review discusses a set of proteins that might direct vesicles to specific domains of the plasma membrane.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Carrier Proteins / physiology*
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Cell Line
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Cell Membrane / metabolism*
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Cytoplasmic Granules / metabolism
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Dogs
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Evolution, Molecular
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Exocytosis / physiology*
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Fungal Proteins / physiology
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Genes, Lethal
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Macromolecular Substances
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Mammals / metabolism
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Membrane Proteins
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Mice
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Models, Biological
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / physiology
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Organelles / metabolism
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Rats
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae / physiology
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins*
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Signal Transduction
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Species Specificity
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Vesicular Transport Proteins
Substances
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Carrier Proteins
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Exoc3 protein, rat
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Exoc4 protein, rat
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Fungal Proteins
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Macromolecular Substances
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Membrane Proteins
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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SEC6 protein, S cerevisiae
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SEC8 protein, S cerevisiae
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Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
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Sec6l1 protein, mouse
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Sec8l1 protein, mouse
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Vesicular Transport Proteins