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Mechanisms of Intralysosomal Degradation with Special Reference to Autophagocytosis and Heterophagocytosis of Cell Organelles

1981; Elsevier BV; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0074-7696(08)61288-7

2163-5854

Hans Glaumann, Jan L. E. Ericsson, Louis Marzella,

Lysosomal Storage Disorders Research

This chapter describes the mechanisms of intralysosomal degradation with a special reference to autophagocytosis and heterophagocytosis of cell organelles. Autophagy is the process of sequestration of intracellular components and their subsequent degradation by the lysosomes. The process of degradation is of fundamental importance in cell function because under steady-state conditions subcellular components are broken down and resynthesized many times during the life span of the cells. Autophagy contributes to the turnover of cell constituents during physiological cell conditions. Autophagy is induced by numerous treatments, conditions, or agents that cause cell dysfunction. Biological components from the extracellular space can also enter the lysosomal compartment and become degraded through the process of heterophagy. The chapter discusses an experimental model in which intracellular organelles are introduced into the lysosomal apparatus of Kupffer cells by means of heterophagy. The study of the heterophagic model has advantages over induced autophagy because the degradation of each membrane constituent or cell organelle can be separately studied. The heterophagy model is also useful to evaluate the capacity of lysosomes to degrade various membrane components in vivo.