The oncogenic potential of a bystander.

摘要

The plasma membrane is organized into subdomains of clustered macromolecules such as caveolae, cholesterol and sphingolipid-enriched membrane invaginations organized by the scaffold protein caveolin. Caveolins tether cholesterol and sphin golipid-enriched membrane microdomains to the cytoskeleton. They contain a scaffolding domain which anchors receptors, ion channels, and diverse signaling molecules. By this mechanism, caveolins concentrate those proteins within the caveolae thus fostering the respective cellular signaling and vesicular transport. Caveolin is involved in a wide variety of functions including the internalization of lipoproteins, the regulation of ion channels and transporters, ischemic preconditioning and myocardial protec tion, as well as cell adhesion and migration. Caveolin-1 interacts with a myriad of signaling molecules involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell differentiation, cell growth and cell senescence.