Alterations in membrane cholesterol that affect structure and function of caveolae.

Most of the available methods for modifying caveolae structure and function depend on altering the cholesterol content of caveolae. The most important aspect of each method is to ensure the reagents are working in the cells that are being studied. The idiosyncrasies of each method are such that they cannot be universally applied without carefully optimizing the conditions. When used correctly, these methods are accepted as a specific way to perturb the structure and function of caveolae.