Receptor-mediated endocytosis

Luca Fischer

edited by

Joshua Klemt,

1. Definition

Receptor-mediated endocytosis is a form of endocytosis in which extracellular material is specifically taken up by binding to receptors in the plasma membrane. This process forms „coated pits“ and then vesicles containing the absorbed substances.

2. Function

Receptor-mediated endocytosis enables the cells to selectively take up certain molecules that are not present in high concentrations. LDL, growth factors or transferrin, for example, are absorbed via this mechanism.

3. Mechanism

In clathrin-mediated endocytosis, an area of the cell membrane is invaginated and constricted to form vesicles within the cell. The invagination is promoted by the protein clathrin on the inside of the cell membrane after binding of a ligand to its receptor. Clathrin is located in certain areas of the cell membrane, the clathrin-coated pits. After pinching off, the clathrin-coated vesicles have a diameter of around 100 nm. After being cut off from the membrane by the protein dynamin, the vesicles are transported to the endosome and fuse with this cell organelle.

Various proteins are transported into the cell via clathrin vesicles after binding to a receptor on the cell membrane, e.g. LDL, transferrin and growth factors. The corresponding receptors are the LDL receptor, the transferrin receptor, the EGF receptor.

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Specialty

Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Chemistry

Keywords

Last edit:

2025-01-28 17:10:30

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