Cell News—Lysosome pH varies based on organelle’s position in the cell

Epithelial cells show dense spherical lysosomes. Figure 271 from Chapter 8 (Lysosomes) of 'The Cell, 2nd Ed.' by Don W. Fawcett M.D.

Epithelial cells show dense spherical lysosomes. Figure 271 from Chapter 8 (Lysosomes) of ‘The Cell, 2nd Ed.’ by Don W. Fawcett M.D.

The cell’s recycling station, the lysosome, is coming to light as a cause for concern in a host of diseases, including Alzheimer’s and a group of 50 rare genetic diseases known as lysosomal storage diseases. For lysosomes to work properly they must maintain an acidic pH. However, ASCB members Danielle Johnson, Sergio Grinstein and colleagues, at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, report that lysosome pH is more variable than once thought. They found that lysosomes near the cell periphery tend to be less acidic, while those near the nucleus are more acidic. Their research indicates that these changes are due to differences in the delivery of proteins to lysosomes at different positions in the cell. Published in the Journal of Cell Biology.

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