Methodologies for Measuring Protein Trafficking across Cellular Membranes
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Updated: Oct 17, 2025

Tracking Drug-induced Changes in Receptor Post-internalization Trafficking by Colocalizational Analysis
Published on: July 3, 2015
1Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, 501 Big Springs Road, 92521, Riverside, CA, USA.
Abstract:
Nearly all proteins are synthesized in the cytosol. The majority of this proteome must be trafficked elsewhere, such as to membranes, to subcellular compartments, or outside of the cell. Proper trafficking of nascent protein is necessary for protein folding, maturation, quality control and cellular and organismal health. To better understand cellular biology, molecular and chemical technologies to properly characterize protein trafficking (and mistrafficking) have been developed and applied. Herein, we take a biochemical perspective to review technologies that enable spatial and temporal measurement of protein distribution, focusing on both the most widely adopted methodologies and exciting emerging approaches.
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