Caveolae are plasma membrane invaginations of the majority of differentiated cells. They are especially abundant in endothelial cells, adipocytes, muscle cells, and fibroblasts. Caveolae membrane is enriched in cholesterol, sphingolipids, and their principal structural protein component caveolins (1, 2, and 3). In numerous studies caveolae and caveolins important role in a variety of cellular functions including endocytic processes, lipid homeostasis, signal transduction, and tumor suppression was demonstrated. Generation of caveolindeficient mice allowed to analyze functions of caveolae and caveolins with respect to human physiology. In the recent years evidences of caveolins implicating in the pathogenesis of human diseases, including atherosclerosis, diabetes type 2, cancer, muscular dystrophies are accumulated. In a review the role of caveolae and caveolins in health and disease is described.
