Figure 1.
The fusion pore is a key intermediate during exocytosis. Left: complex formation between v-SNARE proteins on the vesicle and t-SNARE proteins on the plasma membrane drive fusion between the membranes. This results in the formation of a fusion pore (middle). The initial pore is only 1–3 nm wide and can fluctuate in size, flicker open-closed multiple times, then either reseal or dilate irreversibly (right).