Macropinocytosis: Functions and Mechanisms

This book presents the functions and mechanisms of macropinocytosis, an actin-driven endocytic uptake process.

Key points, including the evolutionary origins of macropinocytosis and major signaling pathways that regulate this uptake mechanism, are highlighted. A wide-array of functions of macropinocytosis are described, including cellular metabolism, cell death, cell migration and antigen presentation. Macropinocytosis has recently been recognized as a critical pathway in disease pathology and treatment. Therefore, a broad overview of macropinocytosis will benefit clinicians, as well as translational and basic research scientists. Moreover, as one of the main clathrin-independent endocytic routes, compiling all the critical information about macropinocytosis in one collection, this book will also be helpful to educators and their students.

Dr. Cosimo Commisso earned his Ph.D. in 2008 at the University of Toronto in the Department of Molecular Genetics and completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Biology at New York University Langone Medical Center in 2014. He is currently an Associate Professor and Program Director in the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NCI-Designated Cancer Center in La Jolla, California. Dr. Commisso made a seminal contribution to the field of cancer research by identifying the way that pancreatic tumors augment their nutrient supply through boosting a process called macropinocytosis. This “cellular drinking” pathway allows tumors to obtain nutrients from their environment and supports tumor growth. Research in Dr. Commisso’s lab is centered on identifying novel drug targets in the macropinocytosis pathway that could be harnessed to develop new therapeutic modalities for cancer.