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 (By similarity). That Rab is mainly involved in the biosynthetic transport of proteins from the Golgi to the plasma membrane. Regulates, for instance, SLC2A4/GLUT4 glucose transporter-enriched vesicles delivery to the plasma membrane. In parallel, it regulates the transport of TLR4, a toll-like receptor to the plasma membrane and therefore may be important for innate immune response. Plays also a specific role in asymmetric protein transport to the plasma membrane within the polarized neuron and epithelial cells. In neurons, it is involved in axonogenesis through regulation of vesicular membrane trafficking toward the axonal plasma membrane while in epithelial cells, it regulates transport from the Golgi to the basolateral membrane. Moreover, may play a role in the basolateral recycling pathway and in phagosome maturation. According to PubMed:23263280, may play a role in endoplasmic reticulum dynamics and morphology controlling tubulation along microtubules and tubules fusion.

Belongs to the small GTPase superfamily. Rab family.

Cytoplasmic vesicle membrane. Golgi apparatus membrane. Golgi apparatus, trans-Golgi network membrane. Endosome membrane. Recycling endosome membrane. Cytoplasmic vesicle, phagosome membrane. Cell projection, cilium. Endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Associates with SLC2A4/GLUT4 storage vesicles (PubMed:22908308). Localizes to the base of the cilium (PubMed:20576682). Transiently associates with phagosomes (By similarity). Localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum at domains of new tubule growth (PubMed:23263280).