| Definition: |
A cytoplasmic dense-core vesicle that transports a range of proteins including piccolo, bassoon, N-cadherin and syntaxin. The transported proteins may be associated with the external side of the vesicle, rather than being contained within the vesicle, therefore forming an aggregate of vesicle and proteins. Piccolo-bassoon transport vesicles (or PTVs) range in size from approximately 80 nm in diameter for dense core vesicles to 130 nm by 220 nm in area for aggregates. They are packaged via the trans-Golgi network before being transported through the axon. |