Endocytosis allows cells to transport particles and molecules across the plasma membrane. In addition, it is involved in the termination of signalling through receptor downmodulation and degradation. This traditional outlook has been substantially modified in recent years by discoveries that endocytosis and subsequent trafficking routes have a profound impact on the positive regulation and propagation of signals, being key for the spatiotemporal regulation of signal transmission in cells. Accordingly, endocytosis and membrane trafficking regulate virtually every aspect of cell physiology and are frequently subverted in pathological conditions. Two key aspects of endocytic control over signalling are coming into focus: context-dependency and long-range effects. First, endocytic-regulated outputs are not stereotyped but heavily dependent on the cell-specific regulation of endocytic networks. Second, endocytic regulation has an impact not only on individual cells but also on the behaviour of cellular collectives. Herein, we will discuss recent advancements in these areas, highlighting how endocytic trafficking impacts complex cell properties, including cell polarity and collective cell migration, and the relevance of these mechanisms to disease, in particular cancer.

内吞作用允许细胞将颗粒和分子转运穿过质膜。此外，它还通过受体下调和降解参与信号传导的终止。近年来，由于发现内吞作用和随后的运输途径对信号的正向调节和传播具有深远影响，是细胞中信号传输的时空调节的关键，这一传统观点已得到实质性修改。因此，内吞作用和膜运输实际上调节细胞生理学的各个方面，并且经常在病理条件下被破坏。内吞控制信号的两个关键方面正在成为焦点：环境依赖性和远程效应。第一的，内吞调节的输出不是固定的，而是严重依赖于内吞网络的细胞特异性调节。其次，内吞调节不仅对单个细胞有影响，而且对细胞集体的行为也有影响。在此，我们将讨论这些领域的最新进展，强调内吞运输如何影响复杂的细胞特性，包括细胞极性和集体细胞迁移，以及这些机制与疾病（尤其是癌症）的相关性。