Lecture #10 Flashcards
what are lysosomes?
ubiquitous organelles located in the cytoplasm
what are the functions of lysosomes?
involved in autophagy, secretion, in the repair of the pm and in the energy control metabolism in the cell
what are some examples of diseases associated to lysosomal dysfunction?
Alzheimers, Parkinsons, MS
what is an example of a cell type that is more sensitive to lysosomal dysfunction?
neurons
what type of organelles are lysosomes?
intracellular organelles with a very acidic lumen - lysosomal enzymes work in an acidic pH
where are the lysosomes located?
in the perinuclear space - there are different patterns depending on the cell stage (can either be perinuclear or very far from the nucleus)
describe the shape of lysosomes:
either spherical or tubular → size and number are quite heterogeneous depending on the stage of the cell cycle and the type of cell
describe lysosome biogenesis:
lysosomal enzymes follow the normal protein synthesis in the cell, then they are packaged into vesicles in the golgi, are modified, and delivered to the lysosomes via a specific tag
what is lysosomal biogenesis regulated by?
many intracellular and extracellular signals → the state of the cell impacts biogenesis
describe the membrane of the lysosome:
a phospholipid bilayer membrane rich in carbohydrates
describe the lumen of the lysosome:
there are many soluble hydrolyses as well as activators
describe the other membrane formations in the lysosome:
interfaces between the intra-lysosomal vesicles are important because some enzymes are bound to these intramembrane formations
describe the lysosomal proteins:
these are not only hydrolyses and activators, but also intramembrane or membrane-associated proteins such as LYNUS
all proteins are classified according to their function (structural proteins, channels, protein that regulate fusion, catabolic enzymes, transporters, etc)
what is the primary function of the lysosomes?
the degradation of substrates
where does the primary function of lysosomes occur?
on the surface of the intra-lysosomal vesicles catalyzed by hydrolyses
about how many hydrolyses are located in the lumen?
around 70
describe the cycle of lysosomes:
- entry of the material into the lysosomes either from the inside or the outside of the cell
- degradation of the material resulting in the formation of building blocks
- building blocks are recycled
*must be tightly regulated in order to maintain the correct energy metabolism in the cell
describe the organization of lysosomes:
they are part of a membrane system (sometimes it is difficult to see the boundaries between different membrane compartments such as the golgi, vesicles, endosomes, etc)
how are hydrolyses driven to the lysosomes?
they have specific tags → in the golgi they are tagged with specific molecules in particular mannose 6 phosphate (M6P) which is recognized by M6P receptors
do all enzymes get delivered directly to the lysosomes?
no - a fraction of the enzymes escape and are secreted directly outside the cell
what happens to the enzymes that escape?
since they are tagged with M6P they can be re-uptaken by neighboring cells that express M6P receptors → cross correction
what is enzyme replacement therapy?
based off of the cross correction system: if there is an enzyme deficiency, the functional copy can be provided by healthy cells or by gene therapy → the secreted enzymes can be recaptured by the deficient cells that do not produce the enzyme themselves
describe the endocytic route:
plasma membrane - early endosomes - lysosome - recycled back to plasma membrane
what is the pH of the lysosome?
5
what is an example of a lysosomal product where transporters are necessary?
cholesterol
how is cholesterol formed?
the lysosome degrades lipoprotein complexes (proteins and lipids) releasing cholesterol to be transported out of the organelle into the cytosol
in what types of cells do lysosomes exert exocytosis function in order to get rid of toxic material or aggregates?
secreting cells such as hematopoietic cells, osteoclasts, melanocytes, or in non-physiological conditions
how does the lysosome function when the cells are in a state of starvation?
they can sense the lack of nutrients and activate a response that provides the cells with nutrients through lysosomal-mediated degradation and autophagy
how does the lysosome function when the cells are in an anabolic state?
they can synthesize proteins and lipids to shut down autophagy
how many different forms of hydrolyses does the lysosome contain?
70
how is the pH of the lysosome maintained?
there is a hydrogen pump that carries out active transport, and imports H+ ins inside the lysosome against the concentration gradient