And Now There Are Five: A New Player in Intracellular Trafficking Pathways

PeeringPeering at a cell through a microscope reveals a hotbed of seemingly random activity, as proteins zip here and there. But the business of shuttling proteins to the correct destination is in fact a highly regulated, high-stakes affair. Disruption of these trafficking pathways can affect a cell's interaction with the surrounding cells and external environment. Neuronal cells, for example, rely on trafficking pathways to properly send and receive chemical signals. Mutations in genes involved in trafficking are implicated in a number of neurodegenerative disorders—including Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and hereditary spastic paraplegia—underscoring the importance of understanding this basic cellular process.