Vesicular transport

Why this matters

Cells use vesicles to move proteins, lipids and large particles without exposing them to the cytosol. This traffic enables salivary protein secretion, neurotransmitter release and microbial killing during oral inflammation.

The big picture

1 Cargo receptors and adaptors concentrate selected molecules. 2 A coat bends the donor membrane and helps form a carrier. 3 Rab proteins and tethers guide recognition of the target. 4 SNARE pairing drives membrane fusion; cargo is then sorted.

You will be able to

1. 1.Trace secretory cargo from ER to destination.
2. 2.Explain coat, Rab and SNARE functions.
3. 3.Compare endocytosis, exocytosis and phagocytosis.
4. 4.Explain receptor-mediated uptake and sorting.
5. 5.Relate the Golgi, endosomes and lysosomes.
6. 6.Apply vesicle traffic to three dental examples.

The 12 cards in this lesson

1. 01Vesicular transport is targeted cellular logistics
2. 02The Golgi apparatus modifies and sorts secretory cargo
3. 03Follow the cargo through the cell
4. 04Coats select cargo and shape a budding carrier
5. 05Rab proteins and SNAREs create delivery specificity
6. 06Exocytosis delivers cargo and membrane to the cell surface
7. 07Endocytosis brings surface membrane and extracellular material inward
8. 08Receptor-mediated endocytosis concentrates selected cargo
9. 09Phagocytosis engulfs large particles into a phagosome
10. 10Lysosomes digest cargo in an acidic, protected compartment
11. 11Secretion links signal, vesicle and target membrane
12. 12Three dental settings use the same traffic logic

You have got it when

You are ready to continue when you can name the origin, carrier, targeting step and destination in a vesicular pathway - then connect it to a dental function.