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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

Characterization of Cell Membrane Extensions and Studying Their Roles in Cancer Cell Adhesion Dynamics
Published on: March 26, 2018
Endocytosis and cancer
Simona Polo1, Salvatore Pece, Pier Paolo Di Fiore
1IFOM, Istituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare, Via Adamello 16, 20139, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Eukaryotic cells use endocytosis to internalise plasma membrane, surface receptors and their ligands, viruses and various extracellular soluble molecules. Endocytosis has been regarded as a long-term mechanism of signal attenuation via receptor clearance from the cell surface. However, additional, and quite unexpected, functions for endocytosis have emerged, which, together with its attenuation function, project a central role for this process in cellular homeostasis and control of proliferation. Subversion of endocytic control is thus predicted to play a causative role in hyperproliferative conditions, first and foremost cancer.
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