Abstract
Secretion and membrane fusion are fundamental cellular processes involved in the physiology of health and disease. Studies within the past decade reveal the molecular mechanism of secretion and membrane fusion in cells. Studies reveal that membrane-bound secretory vesicles dock and fuse at porosomes, which are specialized plasma membrane structures. Swelling of secretory vesicles result in a build-up of intravesicular pressure, which allows expulsion of vesicular contents. The discovery of the porosome, its isolation, its structure and dynamics at nm resolution and in real time, its biochemical composition and functional reconstitution, are discussed. The molecular mechanism of secretory vesicle fusion at the base of porosomes, and vesicle swelling, have been resolved. With these findings a new understanding of cell secretion has emerged and confirmed by a number of laboratories.
References
-
- Monck J.R., Oberhauser A.F., Fernandez J.M., The exocytotic fusion pore interface: a model of the site of neurotransmitter release, Mol. Memb. Biol., 12: 151–156, 1995. - PubMed
-
- Cho S.‐J., Quinn A.S., Stromer M.H., Dash S., Cho J., Taatjes D.J., Jena B.P., Structure and dynamics of the fusion pore in live cells, Cell Biol. Int., 26: 35–42, 2002. - PubMed
-
- Cho S.‐J., Jeftinija K., Glavaski A., Jeftinija S., Jena B.P., Anderson L.L., Structure and dynamics of the fusion pores in live GH‐secreting cells revealed using atomic force microscopy, Endocrinology, 143: 1144–1148, 2002. - PubMed
-
- Cho S.‐J., Wakade A., Pappas G.D., Jena B.P., New structure involved in transient membrane fusion and exocytosis, New York Acad. Sci., 971: 254–256, 2002. - PubMed
Publication types
- Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
- Review
MeSH terms
- Animals
- Carrier Proteins / metabolism
- Cell Membrane / metabolism
- Cell Membrane / physiology*
- Cytosol / metabolism
- Humans
- Immunoblotting
- Lipids
- Liposomes / metabolism
- Membrane Fusion*
- Membrane Proteins / metabolism
- Microscopy, Atomic Force
- Microscopy, Electron
- Models, Biological
- Organelles / physiology*
- Qb-SNARE Proteins
- Qc-SNARE Proteins
- SNARE Proteins
- Secretory Vesicles / physiology*
- Structure-Activity Relationship
- Time Factors
- Vesicular Transport Proteins*
Substances
- Carrier Proteins
- Lipids
- Liposomes
- Membrane Proteins
- Qb-SNARE Proteins
- Qc-SNARE Proteins
- SNAP23 protein, human
- SNARE Proteins
- Vesicular Transport Proteins
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Miscellaneous