Molecular Mechanisms of Polarized Protein Trafficking in Epithelial Cells

Abstract The transport functions of epithelial cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and elsewhere, are made possible by their remarkable apical-basolateral plasma membrane asymmetry. This property, commonly called membrane polarity, is achieved by a combination of intracellular trafficking operations, including sorting, vectorial delivery and membrane-specific docking, fusion and retention mechanisms. Here we provide a review of this rapidly evolving research field within a historically relevant context.