What are steps involved in exocytosis?
Answers
Exocytosis is the process of moving materials from within a cell to the exterior of the cell. This process requires energy and is therefore a type of active transport. Exocytosis is an important process of plant and animal cells as it performs the opposite function of endocytosis. In endocytosis, substances that are external to a cell are brought into the cell.
In exocytosis, membrane-bound vesicles containing cellular molecules are transported to the cell membrane. The vesicles fuse with the cell membrane and expel their contents to the exterior of the cell. The process of exocytosis can be summarized in a few steps.
Exocytosis Key Takeaways
Steps of exocytosis include vesicle trafficking, tethering, docking, priming, and fusing. Vesicle fusion with the cell membrane may be complete or temporary. Exocytosis occurs in many cells including pancreatic cells and neurons.