Caveolae are specialized, invaginated plasma membrane domains that are defined morphologically and by the expression of signature proteins called, caveolins. Caveolae and caveolins are abundant in a variety of cell types including vascular endothelium, glia, and fibroblasts where they play critical roles in transcellular transport, endocytosis, mechanotransduction, cell proliferation, membrane lipid homeostasis, and signal transduction. Given these critical cellular functions, it is surprising that ablation of the caveolae organelle does not result in lethality suggesting instead that caveolae and caveolins play modulatory roles in cellular homeostasis. Caveolar components are also expressed in ocular cell types including retinal vascular cells, Müller glia, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), conventional aqueous humor outflow cells, the corneal epithelium and endothelium, and the lens epithelium. In the eye, studies of caveolae and other membrane microdomains (i.e., “lipid rafts”) have lagged behind what is a substantial body of literature outside vision science. However, interest in caveolae and their molecular components has increased with accumulating evidence of important roles in vision-related functions such as blood-retinal barrier homeostasis, ocular inflammatory signaling, pathogen entry at the ocular surface, and aqueous humor drainage. The recent association of CAV1/2 gene loci with primary open angle glaucoma and intraocular pressure has further enhanced the need to better understand caveolar functions in the context of ocular physiology and disease. Herein, we provide the first comprehensive review of literature on caveolae, caveolins, and other membrane domains in the context of visual system function. This review highlights the importance of caveolae domains and their components in ocular physiology and pathophysiology and emphasizes the need to better understand these important modulators of cellular function.

小窝蛋白是特化的，内陷的质膜结构域，其在形态上和通过称为小窝蛋白的标志性蛋白质的表达来定义。小窝和小窝蛋白在包括血管内皮，神经胶质和成纤维细胞在内的多种细胞类型中丰富，它们在跨细胞运输，内吞作用，机械转导，细胞增殖，膜脂质稳态和信号转导中起关键作用。鉴于这些关键的细胞功能，令人惊讶的是，空洞细胞器的消融不会导致致死性，这提示空洞细胞和空洞蛋白在细胞稳态中起调节作用。小窝成分还可以在眼细胞类型中表达，包括视网膜血管细胞，Müller胶质细胞，视网膜色素上皮（RPE），常规房水流出细胞，角膜上皮和内皮，以及晶状体上皮。在眼中，对小窝和其他膜微区（即“脂质筏”）的研究已经落后于视觉科学之外的大量文献。然而，随着越来越多的证据表明在与视觉有关的功能中具有重要作用，例如血液-视网膜屏障稳态，眼部炎症信号传导，病原体进入眼表和房水引流，人们对海绵体及其分子成分的兴趣日益增加。最近的协会 随着越来越多的证据表明在与视觉有关的功能中具有重要作用，例如血液-视网膜屏障稳态，眼部炎症信号传导，病原体进入眼表和房水引流，对海绵体及其分子成分的兴趣日益增加。最近的协会 随着越来越多的证据表明在与视觉有关的功能中具有重要作用，例如血液-视网膜屏障稳态，眼部炎症信号传导，眼病原体进入眼表面以及房水引流，对海绵体及其分子成分的兴趣日益增加。最近的协会具有原发性开角型青光眼和眼内压的CAV1 / 2基因位点进一步增强了在眼部生理和疾病背景下更好地了解海绵体功能的需求。在本文中，我们提供了在视觉系统功能范围内有关小窝，小窝蛋白和其他膜结构域的文献的首次全面综述。这项审查突出了洞室结构域及其组成在眼生理和病理生理学中的重要性，并强调需要更好地了解这些重要的细胞功能调节剂。