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Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 9, 265 (1 April 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrm2381

Membrane trafficking: Ceramide buds in

Arianne Heinrichs

Cargo proteins that are destined for lysosomal degradation are first incorporated into intraluminal vesicles (ILVs), which form by the invagination of endosomes; this process turns endosomes into multivesicular endosomes (MVEs). Inward budding of endosomes can generate a second population of ILVs that are subsequently released as so-called exosomes to the extracellular environment.