| Caveolins and Caveolae: Roles in Signaling and Disease Mechanisms Contributor(s): Jasmin, Jean-François (Editor), Frank, Philippe (Editor), Lisanti, Michael P. (Editor) |
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ISBN: 1461412218 ISBN-13: 9781461412212 Publisher: Springer OUR PRICE: $161.49 Product Type: Hardcover Published: January 2012 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Medical | Microbiology - Science | Life Sciences - Cell Biology - Medical | Research |
| Dewey: 571.6 |
| LCCN: 2011029634 |
| Series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology |
| Physical Information: 0.6" H x 7.2" W x 10.3" (1.25 lbs) 184 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Caveolae are 50-100 nm flask-shaped invaginations of the plasma membrane that are primarily composed of cholesterol and sphingolipids. Using modern electron microscopy techniques, caveolae can be observed as omega-shaped invaginations of the plasma membrane, fully-invaginated caveolae, grape-like clusters of interconnected caveolae (caveosome), or as transcellular channels as a consequence of the fusion of individual caveolae. The caveolin gene family consists of three distinct members, namely Cav-1, Cav-2 and Cav-3. Cav-1 and Cav-2 proteins are usually co-expressed and particularly abundant in epithelial, endothelial, and smooth muscle cells as well as adipocytes and fibroblasts. On the other hand, the Cav-3 protein appears to be muscle-specific and is therefore only expressed in smooth, skeletal and cardiac muscles. Caveolin proteins form high molecular weight homo- and/or hetero-oligomers and assume an unusual topology with both their N- and C-terminal domains facing the cytoplasm. |