The budding of a cargo-laden clathrin-coated pit (CP) from the plasma membrane (PM) during receptor-mediated endocytosis is a paradigm of vesicular transport. A recent study published in Nature Cell Biology helps us visualize the creation of the clathrin-coated vesicle, and the involvement of dynamin and actin as potential 'midwives' in the process. Still, it remains a matter of faith as to exactly when life begins for the coated vesicle.
- Francesca Santini
- James H. Keen
