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Nature Cell Biology 5, 1045–1047 (1 December 2003) | doi:10.1038/ncb1203-1045

AP-1B: polarized sorting at the endosome

Linton M. Traub & Gerard Apodaca

Polarized epithelial cells are characterized by physically separate apical and basolateral surfaces, each with distinct lipid and protein composition. Once established, cell polarization is maintained by dedicated protein sorting pathways that promote proper delivery of newly synthesized membrane components from the trans-Golgi network (TGN) or recycling of internalized proteins back to the appropriate cell surface.