What is "exocytosis"

n. The secretion of substances through cellular membranes, either to excrete waste products or as a regulatory function

Exocytosis is a form of active transport in which a cell transports molecules (such as proteins) out of the cell (exo- + cytosis) by expelling them in an energy-using process. Exocytosis and its counterpart, endocytosis, are used by all cells because most chemical substances important to them are large polar molecules that cannot pass through the hydrophobic portion of the cell membrane by passive means.

In exocytosis, membrane-bound secretory vesicles are carried to the cell membrane, and their contents (water-soluble molecules such as proteins) are secreted into the extracellular environment. This secretion is possible because the vesicle transiently fuses with the outer cell membrane.

Exocytosis is also a mechanism by which cells are able to insert membrane proteins (such as ion channels and cell surface receptors), lipids, and other components into the cell membrane. Vesicles containing these membrane components fully fuse with and become part of the outer cell membrane.

Exocytosis is "infiltration of the epidermis by inflammatory or circulating blood cells."