Update: The plant trans-Golgi network. Not just a matter of distinction.
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Abstract
Transport networks may be defined as sets of connected nodes or hubs where cargo from different origins are sorted to their final destinations. The trans-Golgi Network (TGN) is the most discussed and arguably busiest hub operating in the cell. The versatility of the plant TGN distinguishes it from its mammalian counterpart. It is essential for the assembly of cell walls, including the cell plate, and organizes traffic of cargoes not only to but also from the plasma membrane, two pathways that animal cells separately confine to TGN and endosomes, respectively. We stand far from models that integrate the multiple trafficking functions of plant TGN in physiologically different cellular contexts; however, with current and recent studies, we are gaining insights into the molecular determinants, trafficking routes and functions of TGN subcompartments.
