vesiklenes

Vesiklene are small, membrane-bound sacs that compartmentalize and transport materials within cells and between cells. They arise from the cell’s endomembrane system and range in size from roughly 25 to 1000 nanometers in diameter.

Each vesiklene consists of a lipid bilayer surrounding a lumen that contains specific enzymes, receptors, or cargo. Their formation typically involves budding from donor membranes such as the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, or plasma membrane, aided by coat protein complexes (for example COPI, COPII, clathrin) and dynamin that drive membrane scission.

Vesiklene perform diverse roles: secretory vesicles carry cargo to the plasma membrane for exocytosis; synaptic vesicles release neurotransmitters; endocytic vesicles internalize extracellular material; endosomes sort cargo; lysosomal vesicles deliver hydrolases; autophagic vesicles contribute to degradation pathways.

Some vesiklene function as carriers of signaling molecules or receptors, influencing cellular responses. In biotechnology, artificial vesiklene or liposomes are engineered vesicles used to deliver drugs or genes. Extracellular vesicles, such as exosomes, are released by cells and can mediate intercellular communication.