Abstract
Proteinmolecules,toxinsandvirusesinternalizeintothecellviareceptor-mediatedendocytosis(RME)usingspecificproteinsandlipidsintheplasmamembrane.Theplasmamembraneisabarrierformanypharmaceuticalagentstoenterintothecytoplasmoftargetcells.Inthecaseofcancercells,tissue-specificbiomarkersintheplasmamembrane,likecancer-specificgrowthfactorreceptors,couldbeexcellentcandidatesforRME-dependentdrugdelivery.Recentdatasuggestthatagentbindingtothesereceptorsatthecellsurface,resultinginmembranedomainformationbyreceptorclustering,canbeusedfortheinitiationofRME.Asaresult,thesepharmaceuticalagentsareinternalizedintothecellsandfollowdifferentroutesuntiltheyreachtheirfinalintracellulartargetslikelysosomesorGolgi.Weproposethatclusteringinducedformationofplasmamembranemicrodomainsenrichedinreceptors,sphingolipids,andinositollipids,leadstomembranebendingwhichfunctionsastheonsetofRME.InthisreviewwewillfocusontheroleofdomainformationinRMEanddiscusspotentialapplicationsfortargetedintracellulardrugdelivery.
