Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Many mammalian cells have indentations in the plasma membrane called caveolae, but exactly what these flask-shaped pits do remains unclear. In a Perspective, Parton discusses the characteristics of caveolin-1-deficient mice that lack caveolae ( Drab et al.). The mice are fertile and seem healthy but show cardiovascular defects, suggesting that caveolae may be important in nitric oxide signaling and cellular proliferation.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Robert G. Parton (2001) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: