Ultracytochemical study on nematolysosomes in neurons of the central nervous system.

Abstract

In this study, the presence of elongated thread- like lysosomes (nematolysosomes) was demonstrated cytochemically in large pyramidal cell of cerebrum, Purkinje cell of cerebellum and motor neuron in anterior horn of spinal cord when these cells were fixed with low concentrated glutaraldehyde fixatives in PIPES buffer. The acid phosphatase (AcPase; one of lysosomal marker enzymes) activity was mainly distributed in condensed vacuoles and stacks of well-developed Golgi apparatus and in lysosomes in the neurons. However, we have also found that AcPase activity was present not only on ordinary round lysosomes but also on the nematolysosomes. The nematolysosomes with positive AcPase activity were observed in the cytoplasm of the neurons of the central nervous system. The motor neurons have more nematolysosomes which may extend into the processes. In these cells there were many microtubules and microfilaments. This may suggest that the nematolysosomes are related to the AcPase transport in the neurons.