Abstract
Vacuoles and their mammalian counterparts, lysosomes, are membrane-bound cytoplasmic organelles that contain an assortment of soluble acid-dependent hydrolases and a set of highly glycosylated integral membrane proteins. Most notably, this organelle is an important site for the degradation of cellular lipids, membrane-associated proteins, and cytoplasmic proteins. In addition to its degradative functions, the vacuole/lysosome plays important roles in pH and ion homeostasis, nutrient storage, protein quality control, the innate immune pathway, and stress signaling responses. Accordingly, mis-regulation of lysosomal function has been implicated in several aspects of human disease, including neurodegenerative diseases.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Encyclopedia of Biological Chemistry |
Subtitle of host publication | Second Edition |
Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
Pages | 331-336 |
Number of pages | 6 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780123786319 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780123786302 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 15 2013 |
Keywords
- Autophagy
- Contractile vacuole
- Endocytosis
- Endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT) pathway
- Endosome
- Hydrolase
- Lysosomal storage disease
- Lysosome
- Lysosome-related organelle
- Multivesicular body
- Pathogen-containing vacuole
- V-ATPase
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)