Introduction 1997 2000 cis trans trans 2003 1983 1998 2002 1995 1992 1997 1991 1992 2002 2002 2005 2007 2008 2007 2008 2007 2006 2003 2008 2005 2006 2004 2007 1998 2002 2003 Retrograde traffic in cell physiology Anterograde transport in the secretory route is accompanied and counterbalanced by retrograde traffic at each section of the secretory route, including pre- and post-Golgi areas, and presumably at the level of the stacks of Golgi cisternae as well. The diverse retrograde routes and cycles cannot be seen separately. There exist similarities in the mechanisms and machineries, close relationships, and mutual influences. Retrograde Golgi-to-ER traffic and pre-Golgi circuits 1987 1990 1999 1988 2004 1990 1998 2005 1990 1987 1990 1994 2002 2003 2000 1999 2005 1999 2002 2001 2001 2000 2007 2006 2002 2002 1997 2005 2005 1998 Retrograde traffic within the Golgi apparatus trans 1985 1998 2000 1987 2005 1997 1997 2005 2005 2006 2002 2004 2005 2000 2005 2005 2006 2005 2004 2005 2004 2004 2007 2005 N 2007 Retrograde plasma membrane-to-Golgi traffic and post-Golgi circuits trans 2006 2000 1985 1995 2003 2008 1997 1998 1993 2002 1999 1998 N 2003 2005 2002 2001 1993 1999 1998 2002 1997 2001 2000 2004 2007 2004 2007 2007 2007 2007 1998 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2004 2006 2008 2006 2002 1998 2004 1996 2006 trans 1998 2002 1 2 2008 2004 2006 Fig. 1 a insert arrows arrowhead a arrowheads arrow c Golgi b trans Golgi arrowheads short arrows large arrow  c trans arrowheads trans arrows trans cis ERGIC d arrowheads arrows trans  Fig. 2 a long arrows trans trans V short arrow b arrows V  Fig. 3 a d green long arrows short arrows trans red yellow c  Retrograde traffic of internalized molecules 1985 1995 2006 2005 2007 Retrograde routes of lectins and toxins 1983 1987 1986 1987 1992 1998 2000 1994 1996 2002 2005 2006 2007 2007 2004 2004 2001 2007 1995 2005 2006 1997 2004 2006 1998 1997 2007 2007 2006 2004 2007 2006 2007 2005 2006 2007 2007 2007 2006 2006 2007 2004 2005 2005 2007 2007 2007 2004 2005 2007 2007 2007 2007 2000 2006 2008 2006 2007 2+ 2+ 2008 1992 1987 1998 2007 2002 N 1977 1984 2003 2004 1 1 2 4 1 trans 1 trans 1 1 1 trans trans 1 2 4 3 trans 1 4 1 4 4 4 Fig. 4 a long arrows short arrows double arrow MVB b cis trans arrow cis V arrowhead  2003 2007 2007 trans 2007 Concluding remarks 2007 2006 2007 2007 2006 2007 2007 2007 2008 2004 2007 2005 2006 2002 2007 2004