Clathrin-mediated endocytosis as an axis for the etiopathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is a core process in eukaryotic cells, providing a mechanism to selectively take up cargo from the extracellular space into the cytoplasm. Emerging data from both Mendelian and idiopathic forms of Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism syndromes supports a role for key players in CME in determining the risk of developing these neurodegenerative disorders. This Perspective summarizes the current genetic and functional evidence supporting a role for CME in Parkinson's disease, suggesting routes through which CME dysfunction could contribute to the etiopathogenesis of this disorder, and discussing the therapeutic potential for targeting CME in the context of neurodegeneration linked to Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism.