The small GTPases Rab are key regulators of intracellular membrane trafficking, from the formation of transport vesicles to their fusion with membranes. Rabs cycle between an inactive GDP-bound form and an active GTP-bound form that is able to recruit to membranes different set of downstream effectors directly responsible for vesicle formation, movement, tethering and fusion (PubMed:22595670). Involved in membrane trafficking between the Golgi complex and endosomes during early embryonic development (By similarity). Regulates the Golgi to endosome transport of FGFR-containing vesicles during early development, a key process for developing basement membrane and epiblast and primitive endoderm lineages during early postimplantation development. May act by modulating the kinesin KIF16B-cargo association to endosomes (By similarity). Regulates, together with its guanine nucleotide exchange factor DENND6A, the specific endocytic transport of ADAM10, N-cadherin/CDH2 shedding and cell-cell adhesion (PubMed:22595670). Mediates endosomal tethering and fusion through the interaction with RUFY1 and RAB4B (PubMed:20534812).
