Figure 2. Lipid raft platform heterogeneity in composition and function.

Lipid rafts can coalescence to form large cholesterol-rich lipid raft platforms with distinct lipid and protein composition, which harbor specific downstream signaling pathways. Segregation and recruitment of proteins, through mechanisms that are not yet well understood, result in the generation of raft platforms enriched in death-receptor mediated proapoptotic signaling molecules, leading to a proapoptotic raft platform (CASMER), or in survival signaling molecules, leading to a survival raft platform (life raft). See text for further details.