Plasmalemmal vesicles are involved in transendothelial transport of albumin, lysosomal enzymes and mannose 6-phosphate receptor fragments in capillary endothelium.

With the use of immunoelectron microscopy we have demonstrated the presence of lysosomal enzymes (acid alpha-glucosidase and glucocerebrosidase) and fragments of the 270 kDa receptor for mannose 6-phosphate and insulin-like growth factor II in blood plasma, plasmalemmal vesicles of endothelial cells and pericapillary spaces in human skeletal muscle tissue. At these locations, the three proteins colocalized with albumin known to be transported from the capillaries into the pericapillary spaces. Immunoblot analysis of plasma revealed the presence of relatively high molecular weight polypeptides in this material. These observations strongly suggest that high molecular weight species of lysosomal enzymes can pass the endothelial barrier in skeletal muscle tissue.