Lysosome transport as a function of lysosome diameter

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 31;9(1):e86847. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086847. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Lysosomes are membrane-bound organelles responsible for the transport and degradation of intracellular and extracellular cargo. The intracellular motion of lysosomes is both diffusive and active, mediated by motor proteins moving lysosomes along microtubules. We sought to determine how lysosome diameter influences lysosome transport. We used osmotic swelling to double the diameter of lysosomes, creating a population of enlarged lysosomes. This allowed us to directly examine the intracellular transport of the same organelle as a function of diameter. Lysosome transport was measured using live cell fluorescence microscopy and single particle tracking. We find, as expected, the diffusive component of intracellular transport is decreased proportional to the increased lysosome diameter. Active transport of the enlarged lysosomes is not affected by the increased lysosome diameter.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Diffusion / drug effects
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Space / drug effects
  • Intracellular Space / metabolism
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1 / genetics
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1 / metabolism
  • Lysosomes / drug effects
  • Lysosomes / metabolism*
  • Microscopy, Confocal / methods*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Sucrose / metabolism
  • Sucrose / pharmacology

Substances

  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Sucrose