The basic endosomal recycling pathway can be modified to generate transcytotic vesicles, storage vesicles and synaptic vesicles. Sorting into synaptic vesicles requires specialized sorting information not present in the transcytotic and storage vesicle proteins. Using mutagenesis we have distinguished the signals for rapid endocytosis and SV targeting in synaptobrevin. Finally, we have evidence that synaptic vesicles can be generated from an endosomal compartment in vitro.