Non-canonical endocytosis pathway

The non-canonical endocytosis pathway, also called clathrin-independent endocytosis, encompasses a variety of cellular mechanisms for internalizing extracellular molecules, plasma membrane proteins, and other cargoes without relying on the classic clathrin-coated vesicles. These pathways include caveolin-mediated endocytosis (caveolae), fast endophilin-mediated endocytosis, macropinocytosis, CLIC/GEEC, and others, each with distinct molecular machinery and cargo preferences. Many viruses, toxins, and bacteria hijack these routes for cell entry. Unlike canonical (clathrin-mediated) endocytosis, these pathways do not depend on clathrin or its associated adaptor proteins, and may use alternative mechanisms such as receptor clustering, lipid raft domains, or actin-driven processes for vesicle formation and cellular uptake. Non-canonical endocytic pathways are essential for diverse physiological and pathological processes but do not constitute a druggable target as a single molecule or protein.

Other names

Non-canonical endocytosisClathrin-independent endocytosisUnconventional endocytosisClathrin-independent endocytic pathwayNon-clathrin endocytosis