Trans-endocytosis explained

Trans-endocytosis is the biological process where material created in one cell undergoes endocytosis (enters) into another cell. If the material is large enough, this can be observed using an electron microscope.^[1] Trans-endocytosis from neurons to glia has been observed using time-lapse microscopy.^[2]

Trans-endocytosis also applies to molecules. For example, this process is involved when a part of the protein Notch is cleaved off and undergoes endocytosis into its neighboring cell.^{[3] [4]} Without Notch trans-endocytosis, there would be too many neurons in a developing embryo.^[5] Trans-endocytosis is also involved in cell movement when the protein ephrin is bound by its receptor from a neighboring cell.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Spacek J. Harris K. . April 2004. Trans-endocytosis via spinules in adult rat hippocampus. J. Neurosci.. 24. 17. 4233–4241. 15115819. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0287-04.2004. 6729277 . free.
2. Lauterbach J. Klein R. . November 2006. Release of full-length EphB2 receptors from hippocampal neurons to cocultured glial cells. J. Neurosci.. 26. 45. 11575–11581. 17093078. 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2697-06.2006. 6674799 . free.
3. Krämer H.. RIPping notch apart: a new role for endocytosis in signal transduction?. Sci STKE. April 2000. 2000. 29. 1pe–1. 11752592. 10.1126/stke.2000.29.pe1. 33395895.
4. Parks AL. Klueg KM . Stout JR . Muskavitch MA. . April 2000. Ligand endocytosis drives receptor dissociation and activation in the Notch pathway. Development. 127. 7. 1373–1385. 10.1242/dev.127.7.1373 . 10704384. free.
5. Klueg KM. Muskavitch MA. . October 1999. Ligand-receptor interactions and trans-endocytosis of Delta, Serrate and Notch: members of the Notch signalling pathway in Drosophila. J Cell Sci. 112. 19. 3289–3297. 10.1242/jcs.112.19.3289 . 10504334.
6. Marston DJ. Dickinson S . Nobes CD. . October 2003. Rac-dependent trans-endocytosis of ephrinBs regulates Eph-ephrin contact repulsion. Nat. Cell Biol.. 5. 10. 879–888. 12973357. 10.1038/ncb1044. 24717812 .