The trans-Golgi network: a late secretory sorting station

Abstract

Proteins synthesized on membrane-bound ribosomes are transported through the Golgi apparatus and, on reaching the trans-Golgi network, are sorted for delivery to various cellular destinations. Sorting involves the assembly of cytosol-oriented coat structures which preferentially package cargo into vesicular transport intermediates. Recent studies have shed new light on both the molecular machinery involved and the complexity of the sorting processes.