title: Characterization of the isolation membranes and the limiting membranes of autophagosomes in rat hepatocytes by lectin cytochemistry.
abstract: The isolation membranes and the limiting membranes of autophagosomes in rat hepatocytes were characterized by lectin cytochemistry using concanavalin A (ConA), Ricinus communis agglutinin 120 (RCA-120), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). We found that RCA-120, ConA, and WGA bind to these membranes. The distribution of the lectins on the isolation membranes was heterogeneous, mainly found on the rims, which we referred to as the peripheral dilated portion. When the rims fused and thus formed autophagosomes the apparent sites of fusion were strongly labeled by the lectins. After autophagosomes were transformed to autolysosomes by fusion with lysosomes, the limiting membranes became more densely and homogeneously labeled with the lectins. We previously reported that cytochrome P-450 does not exist on the limiting membranes of the autophagosomes. Taken together, these results suggest that the isolation membranes may originate not from endoplasmic reticulum membranes but from some post-Golgi membranes that contain complex type N and/or O-linked oligosaccharide chains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tashiro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006001:Glycoconjugates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D037102:Lectins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015388:Organelles / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D037121:Plant Lectins; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006001:Glycoconjugates; D037102:Lectins; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D037121:Plant Lectins; C017707:Ricinus communis agglutinin-1; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; D003208:Concanavalin A