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Endocytic Pathways definitions

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  • Pinocytosis
    Uptake of extracellular fluid into small vesicles, allowing cells to sample their environment and absorb dissolved substances.
  • Phagocytosis
    Engulfment of large particles or microorganisms, forming vesicles that fuse with lysosomes for degradation.
  • Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis
    Highly selective internalization of specific molecules via receptors clustered in clathrin-coated pits or caveolae.
  • Clathrin-Coated Pit
    Specialized plasma membrane region lined with a protein lattice, initiating vesicle formation for selective cargo uptake.
  • Caveolae
    Small, flask-shaped plasma membrane invaginations involved in selective uptake of certain molecules during endocytosis.
  • Endosome
    Membrane-bound organelle acting as a sorting hub for internalized material, directing cargo to recycling or degradation pathways.
  • Early Endosome
    Initial sorting compartment for endocytosed material, slightly acidic and located near the plasma membrane.
  • Late Endosome
    Acidic compartment receiving cargo from early endosomes, preparing material for lysosomal degradation.
  • Multivesicular Body
    Endosomal structure containing internal vesicles formed by inward budding, sequestering membrane proteins for degradation.
  • Lysosome
    Organelle containing hydrolytic enzymes, responsible for degrading and recycling cellular waste and endocytosed material.
  • Recycling Endosome
    Vesicular compartment returning functional receptors and membrane components back to the plasma membrane.
  • Transcytosis
    Transport process moving receptor-bound cargo across a cell, maintaining attachment during passage to a different cellular location.
  • LDL Receptor
    Plasma membrane protein binding low-density lipoprotein, enabling cholesterol uptake via receptor-mediated endocytosis.
  • Ubiquitin
    Small protein tag marking membrane proteins for destruction, directing them into multivesicular bodies and lysosomes.
  • Vesicle
    Small, membrane-bound sac transporting substances within cells, often formed during endocytosis.