Endocytosis is altered by chronic alcohol exposure in cultured neurons

2009

Endocytosis is required for many cellular pivotal processes including membrane recycling, nutrient uptake and signal transduction. This process is particularly relevant in polarized cells such as neurons. Exposure to ethanol causes a variety of anomalies in the developing brain and previous studies have demonstrated that alcohol alters intracellular traffic, including endocytosis, in several cell types. However, information on the effect of chronic alcohol exposure on this process in neurons is scarce. As an approach, we investigated the effect of alcohol exposure on the internalization of two widely used endocytic markers, albumin (BSA) and transferrin (Tf) in developing hippocampal neuron…