Work

Porosome: The Secretory Portal in Cells

Year: 2009

Type: review

Abstract: Porosomes are supramolecular, cup-shaped lipoprotein structures at the cell plasma membrane, where membrane-bound secretory vesicles dock and fuse to release intravesicular contents to the outside during cell secretion. The porosome opening to the outside ranges from 150 nm in diameter in acinar cells of the exocrine pancreas to 12 nm in neurons. In the past decade, the composition of the porosome, its structure and dynamics at nanometer resolution in real time, and its functional reconstitution into an artificial lipid membrane have been described. Discovery of the universal secretory machinery in cells, the porosome, came as no surprise since porosome-like "canaliculi" structures for secretion from human platelets, the secretory machinery in single-cell organisms like the secretion apparatus in bacteria and Toxoplasma gondii, and the contractile vacuole in paramecium have been demonstrated. In this review, the discovery of the porosome complex and the molecular mechanism of its function and how this information provides a new understanding of cell secretion are discussed.

Source: Biochemistry

DOI: 10.1021/bi9002698

Author: Bhanu P. Jena

Institution: Wayne State University

Language: English

Topic: Cellular transport and secretion

Subfield: Cell Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Awards: EXOCYTOSIS: USING NANOSURGERY AND BIOENGINEERING, G3555292099, UNDERSTANDING MEMBRANE FUSION A BIOENGINEERING APPROACH