Vol 43, No 1 (2005)
Review paper
Published online: 2011-08-19
Rafts - the current picture
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2005;43(1):3-10.
Abstract
Although evidences that cell membrane contains microdomains are accumulating, the exact properties, diversity and levels of organization of small lipid patches built mainly of cholesterol and sphingomyelin, termed rafts, remain to be elucidated. Our understanding of the cell membrane is increasing with each new raft feature discovered. Nowadays rafts are suggested to act as sites of cell signaling events, to be a part of protein sorting machinery but also they are used by several pathogens as gates into the cells. It is still unclear how rafts are connected to the membrane skeleton and cytoskeleton and with how many different types of rafts are we actually dealing with. This review summarizes some of the most recent discoveries trying to make a view of the complex raft properties.
Keywords: RaftsDetergent-resistant membranesMembrane skeletonImmunological synapse
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