Caveolae’s Behavior in Norm and Pathology

Abstract

Caveolins are universal multifunctional physiologically active microparticles that collaborate in the caveolae formation to maintain the metabolic homeostatic balance of the cells. In fact, remarkable advances in the molecular biopathology of caveolae have been made in recent years by exploring the role of caveolae in norm and physiopathology. The current literature data on the caveolae behavior in norm and pathology were revised. Caveolae are expressed in various cell types, highly concentrated in endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, and epithelial cells. Physiologically, caveolae contribute to maintaining a signaling balance between the various homeostatic processes, including pro-growth and pro-survival, such as endothelial nitric oxide synthase, glycogen synthase kinase-3β, p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase, PKA, SFK, PKC, Akt through regulation of tyrosine kinases, G protein-coupled receptor, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and MAPK pathways, and their signaling dysfunction is directly attributed to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, regeneration inhibition, neurodegenerative diseases, infection, osteoporosis, diabetes, and tumour induction and progression. Regulation of the ratio and penetrance of caveolae activity/expression is a clinically significant potential therapeutic strategy to enhance the current therapies and eliminate the etiopathogenetic pathway of rising homeostatic disorders.