What is the size limit for a structure to be internalized into a cell through clathrin mediated endocytosis before another process, e.g. phagocytosis takes over for endocytosis? We have a large structure that can be internalized into cells around 5um in size and are trying to determine if it is a clathrin mediated process.
Cell minus the membrane, with better technology. At present, injecting is a precise science that involves technology increases soon, best to indicate that in research.
Hi Charles, I think 5um structures are way too large for clathrin coated pit mediated endocytosis.
Endocytic receptors having an NPXY, or similar motifs, recruit intracellular mechanisms to endocytose protein ligands and lipoprotein particles and deliver them to endosomes. But these guys are way smaller than 5um.
Unless you are dealing with giant cells, any cellular endocytic process that can engulf particles of that size has to be due to phagocytosis.
The only big things that regular cells can endocytose is when you crosslink membrane proteins with antibodies. This is called "capping" .The antibody bound proteins congregate to a point on the cells and are then internalized and degraded.
Based on the following publication it is 280 nm http://www.nature.com/icb/journal/v79/n3/full/icb200138a.html
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