Endocannabinoids are readily accumulated from the extracellular space by cells. Although the properties of the uptake have the appearance of a process of facilitated diffusion, it is by no means clear as to whether or not there is a plasma membrane transporter dedicated to this task. Intracellular carrier proteins that shuttle the endocannabinoid anandamide from the plasma membrane to its intracellular targets such as the metabolic enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) have been identified. These include proteins with other primary functions, such as fatty acid binding proteins and heat shock protein 70, and possibly a FAAH-like anandamide transporter protein (FLAT). Thus, anandamide uptake can be adequately described as a diffusion process across the plasma membrane followed by intracellular carrier-mediated transport to effector molecules, catabolic enzymes and sequestration sites, although it is recognised that different cells are likely to utilise different mechanisms of endocannabinoid transport depending upon the utility of the endocannabinoid for the cell in question. © 2013 The Authors Journal compilation © 2013 FEBS.

© 2013 The Authors Journal compilation © 2013 FEBS.