• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.65-71
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• 2015

Intracellular organelles in eukaryotic cells play important roles in many cellular functions. Intracellular trafficking of many proteins to specific intracellular organelles is tightly regulated by various mechanisms in cells. Therefore, elucidating the targeting mechanism of novel markers for intracellular organelles is important for cellular physiology and pathology. In this study, we tried to identify the peptides which could bind to specific glycolipid in cellular membrane using GFP-fused glycolipid-binding peptides, and analyzed their cellular localization. As a result, we could identify mitochondria-, Golgi- or plasma membrane-targeting peptides. Furthermore, we found that the plasma membrane-targeting peptide was localized to the plasma membrane via electrostatic interactions. Thus, our results suggest that various glycolipid-binding peptides could be used as intracellular organelles markers.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.143-154
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• 1976

The hemocytes of Drosophila melanogaster were observed with electron microscope, and five types of the cells were identified; prohemocyte, plasmatocyte, granular cell, crystal cell and oenocytoid, accounting for about 5%, 35%, 45%, 10%, 5% respectively of total cell numbers. Prohemocytes are characterized by a low concentration of intracellular organelles. Plasmatocytes are spindle or oval in shape and have relatively plenty of organelles and lysosomes. Granullar cells are the most polymorphic. They have numerous pseudopod-like projections and contain various granules and inclusions. In this cell type, intracellular organelles are fully developed. Crystal cells are characterized by numerous crystals composed of fine granules arranged regularly. Oenocytoids are the largest one among all cell types and contain relatively developed organelles.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.311-323
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• 2023

Ion homeostasis, which is regulated by ion channels, is crucial for intracellular signaling. These channels are involved in diverse signaling pathways, including cell proliferation, migration, and intracellular calcium dynamics. Consequently, ion channel dysfunction can lead to various diseases. In addition, these channels are present in the plasma membrane and intracellular organelles. However, our understanding of the function of intracellular organellar ion channels is limited. Recent advancements in electrophysiological techniques have enabled us to record ion channels within intracellular organelles and thus learn more about their functions. Autophagy is a vital process of intracellular protein degradation that facilitates the breakdown of aged, unnecessary, and harmful proteins into their amino acid residues. Lysosomes, which were previously considered protein-degrading garbage boxes, are now recognized as crucial intracellular sensors that play significant roles in normal signaling and disease pathogenesis. Lysosomes participate in various processes, including digestion, recycling, exocytosis, calcium signaling, nutrient sensing, and wound repair, highlighting the importance of ion channels in these signaling pathways. This review focuses on different lysosomal ion channels, including those associated with diseases, and provides insights into their cellular functions. By summarizing the existing knowledge and literature, this review emphasizes the need for further research in this field. Ultimately, this study aims to provide novel perspectives on the regulation of lysosomal ion channels and the significance of ion-associated signaling in intracellular functions to develop innovative therapeutic targets for rare and lysosomal storage diseases.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 1989

The intracellular localizations of polyamines and their related enzymes were investigated from young spinach leaves. Polyamines were present in all parts of plant cells, both in the subcellular organelles and in the soluble fraction of cytoplasm, however, polyamines were mainly located in the cytosolic fraction. Most activities of L-arginine decarboxylase(ADC) and L-ornithine decarboxylase(ODC), two important enzymes of putrescine and polyamine biosynthesis, were detected in cytosol fraction, while in subcellular organelles the activities were very low. Activities of diamine oxidase(DAO) and polyamine oxidase(PAO), the catabolic enzyme of diamine and polyamine, were not detected in spinach leaves. It was suggested that polyamines and their related synthetic enzymes were located in the soluble fraction of cytoplasm.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.8
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• pp.686-693
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• 2020

Autophagy is an intracellular degradation system that breaks down damaged organelles or damaged proteins using intracellular lysosomes. Recent studies have also revealed that various forms of selective autophagy play specific physiological roles under different cellular conditions. Lipid droplets, which are mainly found in adipocytes and hepatocytes, are dynamic organelles that store triglycerides and are critical to health. Lipophagy is a type of selective autophagy that targets lipid droplets and is an essential mechanism for maintaining homeostasis of lipid droplets. However, while processes that regulate lipid droplets such as lipolysis and lipogenesis are relatively well known, the major factors that control lipophagy remain largely unknown. This review introduces the underlying mechanism by which lipophagy is induced and regulated, and the current findings on the major roles of lipophagy in physiological and pathological status. These studies will provide basic insights into the function of lipophagy and may be useful for the development of new therapies for lipophagy dysfunction-related diseases.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 2023

The motion of organelles inside a cell is an important intrinsic indicator for assessing cell physiology and tissue viability. Dynamic contrast full-field optical coherence tomography (D-FFOCT) is a promising imaging technology that can visualize intracellular movements using the variance of temporal interference signals caused by biological motions. However, double-path interferometry in D-FFOCT can be highly vulnerable to surrounding noise, which may cause turbulence in the interference signals, contaminating the sample dynamics. Therefore, we propose a method for stabilized D-FFOCT imaging in noisy environments by using common-path interferometry in D-FFOCT. A comparative study shows that D-FFOCT with the proposed method achieves stable dynamic contrast imaging of a scattering phantom in motion that is over tenfold more noise-insensitive compared to the conventional one, and thus this imaging capability can provide cleaner motion contrast images. With the proposed approach, the intracellular dynamics of biological samples are imaged and monitored.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.37-41
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• 2015

The oocyte undergoes various events during maturation and requires many substances for the maturation process. Various intracellular organelles are also involved in maturation of the oocyte. During the process glucose is essential for nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation, and adenosine triphosphate is needed for reorganization of the organelles and cytoskeleton. If mitochondrial function is lost, several developmental defects in meiotic chromosome segregation and maturation cause fertilization failure. The endoplasmic reticulum, a store for $Ca^{2+}$, releases $Ca^{2+}$ into the cytoplasm in response to various cellular signaling molecules. This event stimulates secretion of hormones, growth factors and antioxidants in oocyte during maturation. Also, oocyte nuclear maturation is stimulated by growth factors such as epidermal growth factor. This review summarizes roles of organelles with focus on the Golgi apparatus during maturation in oocyte.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.2167-2175
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• 2015

Autophagy is a self-digestion process, wrapping cytoplasmic proteins or organelles to form vesicles for degradation in lysosomes. The process plays an important role in the maintenance of intracellular homostasis. Here we overview articles on autophagy and cancer/tumors in Pubmed and found 327 articles. Autophagy exists in many tumors and is involved in cell malignant transformation and tumor cell growth. In early phases of tumorigenesis, autophagy clears the abnormally folded proteins and dysfunctional organelles such as mitochondria. Autophagy can also inhibit cell stress responses and prevent genetic damage. When a tumor develops, autophagy helps tumor cells survive nutritional deficiencies and hypoxic conditions. Studies of autophagy in the occurrence and progression of tumors should provide new therapeutic strategies for tumors.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.605-614
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• 2021

Autophagy is an important degradative pathway that eliminates misfolded proteins and damaged organelles from cells. Autophagy is crucial for neuronal homeostasis and function. A lack of or deficiency in autophagy leads to the accumulation of protein aggregates, which are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. Compared with non-neuronal cells, neurons exhibit rapid autophagic flux because damaged organelles or protein aggregates cannot be diluted in post-mitotic cells; because of this, these cells exhibit characteristic features of autophagy, such as compartment-specific autophagy, which depends on polarized structures and rapid autophagy flux. In addition, neurons exhibit compartment-specific autophagy, which depends on polarized structures. Neuronal autophagy may have additional physiological roles other than amino acid recycling. In this review, we focus on the characteristics and regulatory factors of neuronal autophagy. We also describe intracellular selective autophagy in neurons and its association with neurodegenerative diseases.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2001

Insulin stimulates glucose uptake in muscle and adipose tissue and thus maintains normal blood glucose level in our body. Derangement of this process causes many grave health problems. Insulin stimulates glucose transport primarily by recruiting GLUT4 from its intracellular storage sites to the plasma membrane. The process is complex and involves GLUT4 trafficking through multiple subcellular compartments (organelles) and many protein functions, details of which are poorly understood. This review summarizes a recent development to isolate and characterize the individual intracellular GLUT4 compartments and to illustrate how this compartmental analysis will help to identify the insulin-sensitive step or steps in the insulin-induced GLUT4 recruitment in rat adipocytes. The review does not cover the recent exciting development in identification of many proteins implicated in this process.