Abstract
The identification of caveolin-1 more than a decade ago initiated active research into its role in the formation of caveolae, membrane trafficking, signal transduction pathways, and lipid homeostasis. Although caveolins are ubiquitously expressed, the majority of the available information comes from differentiated cells rich in caveolins, such as fibroblasts, adipocytes, and endothelial cells. During the development of atherosclerosis, macrophages play a pivotal role in the formation of the fatty streak lesions. They take up large amounts of lipids and accumulate in the subendothelial space, forming foam cells that fill up the lesion area. Since caveolins have been implicated in the regulation of cellular cholesterol metabolism in several cell types, it is of interest to examine their potential function in macrophages. In this review, we attempt to summarize current knowledge and views on the role of caveolins in cholesterol metabolism with emphasis on macrophages.
Highlights
The identification of caveolin-1 more than a decade ago initiated active research into its role in the formation of caveolae, membrane trafficking, signal transduction pathways, and lipid homeostasis
While the selective uptake of HDL-derived cholesterol via lipid raft-associated CD36 or SR-BI is likely to be of limited physiological significance in macrophages, there is virtually no information about the relationship between caveolin expression and activity of the various receptors for oxidized/modified LDL that play an important role in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis
The rapid growth in caveolin-related research in recent years provides us with many potentially important insights into the regulation of cholesterol metabolism. Some of these studies provide compelling evidence that the regulation of the signal transduction pathways is intimately linked to cellular lipid homeostasis, interlocking these two events into a complex bio-regulatory system [108]
Summary
The identification of caveolin-1 more than a decade ago initiated active research into its role in the formation of caveolae, membrane trafficking, signal transduction pathways, and lipid homeostasis. Caveolin-1 is expressed primarily on the surface of mouse primary macrophages, while caveolin-2 is found almost exclusively in the Golgi apparatus [41], an observation characteristic of cells expressing low levels of caveolin-1 and caveolae [39, 40].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
