Description:
Small membrane-bound vesicles inside eukaryotic cells, endosomes are primarily involved in sorting material that has been internalized from the cell surface. Some endosomes maintain an acidic pH, which can dissociate proteins from receptors. Once separated, these different components can be trafficked. Some molecules are targeted for recycling back to the cell surface, while others fuse with lysosomes, where contents are degraded by hydrolase enzymes. Endosomes also traffic material to and from the Golgi, or between apical and basal compartments in polarized cells.
Related Molecular Functions
Related Biological Processes