title: Analyzing lysosomes in live cells.
abstract: Lysosomes are an important cellular organelle that receive and degrade macromolecules from the secretory, endocytic, autophagic, and phagocytic membrane-trafficking pathways. Defects in lysosome function lead to the development of disease with often-severe consequences to the individual. Since the discovery of lysosomes by Christian de Duve over 50 years ago, research into endocytic and lysosomal biology has allowed for the development of tools to understand further the role of lysosomes in cells. There are now several fluorescent probes that can be used to visualize and assess membrane traffic to the lysosome as well as probes to assess the activity of lysosomal hydrolases in live cells. This chapter describes the current methods used to measure lysosome function in live cells.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Immunology and Infection, Hull York Medical School and Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pryor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058948:Cell Tracking / Q000379:methods*; D003911:Dextrans; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology; D051907:Lysosomal Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D021381:Protein Transport; D051381:Rats; D052118:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1
chemical_list: D003911:Dextrans; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D051907:Lysosomal Membrane Proteins; C489117:Lamp1 protein, rat; D052118:Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1