The sory of cell secretion: events leading to the dicovery of the ‘porosome’- the universal secretory machinery in cells

Abstract

Cell secretio has come age, and a century old quest has been elegantly solved. We have come a long way since earlier observations of what appeared to be ‘fibrillar regions’ at teh cell plasama membrance, and electrophysological studies suggesting the presence of ‘fusion pores’ at the cell plasma membrane where secretion occurs. Finally, the fusion pore or ‘porosome’ has been discovered, and its morpholgy and dynamics determined at nm resolution and in real time in live secretory cells. The porosome has been isolated, its omposition determined at nm resolution and in real time in live secretory cells. The porosme has been isolated, its composition determmined and it has been jkboth structurally and functionally reconsituted n artificial lipid membrance. The discoversy of the porosome as the univeral secretory machinery in cell and the discovery of the molecular mechaninsm of vesicular content expulsion during cell secretin have fially enabled a clear understanding of this important cellular process. This review outlines the fascinating and exciting joumey leding to the dicovery of the porosme, ultimately solving one of the most difficut, significant, and fundamental cellular process- cell seretion.