Current methods to analyze lysosome morphology, positioning, motility and function

Traffic, vol. 23, pp. 238–269

Abstract

Since the discovery of lysosomes more than 70 years ago, much has been learned about the functions of these organelles. Lysosomes were regarded as exclusively degradative organelles, but more recent research has shown that they play essential roles in several other cellular functions, such as nutrient sensing, intracellular signalling and metabolism. Methodological advances played a key part in generating our current knowledge about the biology of this multifaceted organelle. In this review, we cover current methods used to analyze lysosome morphology, positioning, motility and function. We highlight the principles behind these methods, the methodological strategies and their advantages and limitations. To extract accurate information and avoid misinterpretations, we discuss the best strategies to identify lysosomes and assess their characteristics and functions. With this review, we aim to stimulate an increase in the quantity and quality of research on lysosomes and further ground-breaking discoveries on an organelle that continues to surprise and excite cell biologists.

Authors 31

1. Duarte C. Barral corresponding

   Universidade Nova de Lisboa

   Affiliation as printed

   CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

   CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

2. Leopoldo Staiano

   Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine · National Research Council

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research National Research Council (CNR) Milan Italy

   Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

   Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research, National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy

   Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

3. Cláudia Guimas Almeida

   Universidade Nova de Lisboa

   Affiliation as printed

   CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

   CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

4. Daniel F. Cutler

   MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology · University College London

   Affiliation as printed

   MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology University College London London UK

   MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London, London, UK

5. Emily R. Eden

   University College London

   Affiliation as printed

   University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology London UK

   University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK

6. Clare E. Futter

   University College London

   Affiliation as printed

   University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology London UK

   University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK

7. André R. A. Marques

   Universidade Nova de Lisboa

   Affiliation as printed

   CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

   CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

8. Diego Luis Medina

   Federico II University Hospital · Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine · University of Naples Federico II

   Affiliation as printed

   Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical and Translational Science Federico II University Naples Italy

   Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

   Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical and Translational Science, Federico II University, Naples, Italy

   Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

9. Gennaro Napolitano

   Federico II University Hospital · Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine · University of Naples Federico II

   Affiliation as printed

   Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical and Translational Science Federico II University Naples Italy

   Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

   Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical and Translational Science, Federico II University, Naples, Italy

   Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

10. Carmine Settembre

    Federico II University Hospital · Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine · University of Naples Federico II

    Affiliation as printed

    Clinical Medicine and Surgery Department Federico II University Naples Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Clinical Medicine and Surgery Department, Federico II University, Naples, Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

11. Otília V. Vieira

    Universidade Nova de Lisboa

    Affiliation as printed

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

12. Johannes M. F. G. Aerts Aachen

    Leiden University

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden Institute of Chemistry Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands

    Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands

13. Peace Atakpa‐Adaji

    University of Cambridge

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pharmacology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK

    Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

14. Antonella Capuozzo

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

15. Elvira De Leonibus

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine · National Research Council

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CNR Rome Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CNR, Rome, Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

16. Chiara Di Malta

    Federico II University Hospital · Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine · University of Naples Federico II

    Affiliation as printed

    Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical and Translational Science Federico II University Naples Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical and Translational Science, Federico II University, Naples, Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

17. Cristina Escrevente

    Universidade Nova de Lisboa

    Affiliation as printed

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

18. Alessandra Esposito

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

19. Paolo Grumati

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

20. Michael J. Hall

    Universidade Nova de Lisboa

    Affiliation as printed

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

21. Rita O. Teodoro

    Universidade Nova de Lisboa

    Affiliation as printed

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

22. Susana S. Lopes

    Universidade Nova de Lisboa

    Affiliation as printed

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

23. J. Paul Luzio

    University of Cambridge

    Affiliation as printed

    Cambridge Institute for Medical Research University of Cambridge Cambridge UK

    Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

24. Jlenia Monfregola

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

25. Sandro Montefusco

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

26. Frances M. Platt

    University of Oxford

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pharmacology University of Oxford Oxford UK

    Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

27. Roman S. Polishchuck

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

28. Maria De Risi

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

29. Irene Sambri

    Federico II University Hospital · Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine · University of Naples Federico II

    Affiliation as printed

    Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical and Translational Science Federico II University Naples Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Medical Genetics Unit, Department of Medical and Translational Science, Federico II University, Naples, Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

30. Chiara Soldati

    Telethon Institute Of Genetics And Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) Pozzuoli Italy

    Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy

31. Miguel C. Seabra corresponding

    Universidade Nova de Lisboa

    Affiliation as printed

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal

    CEDOC, NOVA Medical School, NMS, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal