The visionaries predicted the existence of transcytosis in endothelial cells; the cell biologists deciphered its mechanisms
and (in part) the molecules involved in the process; the cell pathologists unravelled the presence of defective transcytosis
in some diseases. The optimistic perspective is that transcytosis, in general, and receptor-mediated transcytosis, in particular,
will be greatly exploited in order to target drugs and genes to exclusive sites in and on endothelial cells (EC) or underlying
cells. The current recognition that plasmalemmal vesicles (caveolae) are the vehicles involved in EC transcytosis has moved
through various phases from intial considerations of caveolae as unmovable sessile non-functional plasmalemma invaginations
to the present identification of a multitude of molecules and a crowd of functions associated with these ubiquitous structures
of endothelial and epithelial cells. Further understanding of the molecular machinery that precisely guides caveolae through
the cells so as to reach the target membrane (fission, docking, and fusion), to avoid lysosomes, or on the contrary, to reach
the lysosomes, and discharge the cargo molecules will assist in the design of pathways that, by manipulating the physiological
route of caveolae, will carry molecules of choice (drugs, genes) at controlled concentrations to precise destinations.
Keywords Transcytosis - Endothelium - Caveolae - Plasma proteins - Disease