Morphologic evidence that disruption of the Golgi apparatus in PFHR 9-tumor cells causes disturbance in the traffic through this organelle.
PFHR 9 is a murine teratocarcinoma-derived tumor which produces basement membrane components. Electron microscopy of the tumor cells disclosed a disorganization of the Golgi complex whose saccules, instead of being flattened, round up into 0.13 micron-wide spherical vesicles (SV). Their shape does not permit the normal stacking of parallel cisternae, and thus these SV become intermingled with transport vesicles (TV) which measure 44 nm in diameter. The cytoplasm of these tumor cells contains numerous multivesicular bodies (MVB) of varying size (ranging from 0.3 to 2.6 micron), which occupy 7% of the cellular volume. These MBV are packed with very many small vesicles similar in all aspects to the TV, and also contain a few larger vesicles which resemble the altered Golgi saccules (SV). Since these MVB display morphologic evidence for gradual lysis of their contents and strongly react with the cytochemical method for acid phosphatase, it is assumed that MVB are autophagic vacuoles which result from the accumulation of TV. This seems to be a unique example of a disease of the Golgi stack, with consequent accumulation and disposal of this material via autophagic vacuoles.
Junqueira
L C
LC
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, São Paulo Branch, Brazil.
Kaminskas
R
R
Levi
J E
JE
Joazeiro
P P
PP
Montes
G S
GS
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000648:ultrastructure*