Cellular membranes and surface receptors involved in vesicle uptake

Cellular membranes and surface receptors involved in vesicle uptake constitute the complex machinery responsible for the internalisation of extracellular substances, a process known as endocytosis (Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2009). This category encompasses various proteins, including clathrin, caveolin, and a multitude of cargo-specific receptors such as the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and the transferrin receptor (TFRC) (UniProt, 2024). These components work in concert to remodel the plasma membrane into vesicles that transport nutrients, signaling molecules, and even pathogens into the cell interior (Molecular Biology of the Cell, 6th ed.). In pharmacology, these receptors are critical for the entry of viral pathogens and are exploited for the delivery of therapeutic agents, such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and nanoparticles (Journal of Controlled Release, 2016). Because this entry describes a broad biological system rather than a single molecular entity, it is classified as a functional group rather than a specific therapeutic target (PubMed, 2021).

Other names

Endocytic receptorsCell surface uptake receptorsVesicle-mediated transport machineryPlasma membrane uptake systems

Modulation of receptor-mediated endocytosis, inhibition of ligand binding, or utilization of receptors for targeted delivery of cytotoxic payloads.