Receptor-mediated endocytosis

Definition

Receptor-mediated endocytosis is a cellular process where specific molecules are ingested into the cell after binding to receptor proteins on the cell membrane. This mechanism allows cells to selectively take up large molecules and particles that cannot pass through the membrane directly.

Related terms

Endocytosis:

The process by which cells ingest external material by enveloping it in a portion of their cell membrane, which then becomes an internal vesicle.

Cell membrane: A biological membrane that separates the interior of all cells from the outside environment, controlling the movement of substances in and out of cells.

Ligand: A molecule that binds specifically to another molecule, usually a larger one, such as how certain substances bind to receptors during receptor-mediated endocytosis