title: [Association of receptor-mediated endocytosis and autophagy with apoptosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between receptor-mediated endocytosis, autophagosome formation and apoptosis by observing the morphological changes of mouse peritoneal macrophages in the course of receptor-mediated endocytotic activities, autophagy and apoptosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mouse peritoneal macrophages were incubated with horseradish peroxidase-labeled concanavalin A (ConA-HRP), and morphological examinations were performed at different time points after the incubation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the incubation of the macrophages with ConA-HRP, ConA-HRP was observed to enter the vesicles by way of receptor-mediated endocytosis. Three kinds of endosomes were observed, namely vesicles, tubes and double-membrane sheets. The double-membrane sheets enveloped a portion of the cytoplasm and organelles, thus giving rise to vesicles, or the autophagosomes, which later fused with lysosome, followed by the apoptosis of the macrophages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Receptor-mediated endocytosis of ConA-HRP is associated with autophagy and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. cghe288@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Cai-gu
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ying-jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Piao
authors.forename: Lian-mei
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001343:Autophagy; D004705:Endocytosis; D005260:Female; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface