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Classically, endocytosis involves the formation of clathrin-coated carriers that bud from the plasma membrane by dynamin-dependent mechanisms. Recently, several clathrin-independent endocytic pathways have been identified, which represent the main pathway of entry into cells for a diverse array of cargoes, including receptors, lipids and pathogens.
Intense research has led to the discovery and characterization of a novel signalling network, the Hippo pathway, which is involved in growth control inDrosophila melanogaster. The importance of this pathway is emphasized by its evolutionary conservation and by increasing evidence that its deregulation occurs in human tumours.
Far from being a static organelle at the end of the endocytic pathway, the lysosome is capable of dynamically fusing with many organelles as well as the plasma membrane. The lysosome provides hydrolytic enzymes for the degradation of macromolecules, has secretory functions and is important for plasma membrane repair.
Many signalling pathways have been shown to control cell shape and cell surface mechanics. Recent insights from diverse disciplines point to adhesion and cortical tension as regulators of cell shape and provide insights into how cell shape controls tissue geometry.
The combination of affinity purification and mass spectrometry (AP–MS) has recently been applied to the detailed characterization of protein complexes and large protein-interaction networks. Emerging AP–MS approaches promise a better understanding of protein-complex stoichiometry, structural organization and the dynamics of protein-complex composition.
Considerable progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms that control cell division in plants. However, little is known about how the cell cycle responds to environmental and developmental stimuli and how the cell cycle is turned on and off.
When quiescent cells re-enter the cell cycle, why do they require several extra hours in the G1 phase before they replicate their DNA? One hypothesis is that the proteins that are required for the formation of pre-replicative complexes are removed from chromatin.
