Endosomes: Cellular Sorting and Trafficking Hubs

Endosomes are membrane-bound compartments within cells that function in the sorting and trafficking of molecules. They are formed by the inward budding of the plasma membrane, and can fuse with other endosomes or with lysosomes to deliver their contents for degradation or recycling. Endosomes also play a role in signaling pathways, as they can sequester receptors and ligands and regulate their availability for signaling events. Dysfunction of endosomal trafficking has been implicated in a variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders and cancer.