VOLUME 534. Endosome Signaling Part A

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"Endosomes are membrane-bound compartments that transport internalized material from the plasma membrane to the lysosome and elsewhere. These compartments, often about 500 nm, but ranging in size, have the capability to sort molecules, routing some contents to the lysosomes for degradation, and recycling other materials back to the plasma membrane. The Golgi apparatus also provides molecules to the endosome, some of which are delivered to lysosomes and others are recycled back to the Golgi. Because of this ability to differentially deliver molecules, the endosome is viewed as a presorting structure." "Endosomes are categorized by size, enzymatic content, morphology, and by other criteria such as the length of time it takes internalized material to reach them. Endosomes may provide platforms for cross talk between signaling systems, and this consideration has provided them elite status among cellular components that contribute to signaling. This volume provides descriptions of the range of methods used to analyze and evaluate these important compartments. The authors explain how these methods are able to provide important biological insights in the context of particular models."