Molecular Mechanisms of Endocytosis

Cells regulate their developmental and functional programs through their interaction with the external milieu, which requires communication across the plasma membrane. The plasma membrane is constantly being remodeled by endocytosis allowing cells to control how they respond to external stimuli. Endocytosis also allows continuous sampling of the external environment, which is important for the uptake of micronutrients and for the cellular and organismal response to infectious agents. The importance of this process in human health merits its careful study and characterization. For the last nine years, a biannual European conference on endocytosis has been held in various locations. The fifth of these meetings was held September 13–18, in San Feliu de Guixols, a beautiful venue on the Costa Brava in Spain. Besides having the opportunity to scuba dive, the participants followed an interesting and ambitious schedule of oral and poster presentations on the molecular mechanisms involved in endocytosis and how these mechanisms relate to health and disease.