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Related Experiment Videos

The lysosome turns fifty.

Christian de Duve1

  • 1Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. deduve@icp.ucl.ac.be

Nature Cell Biology
|September 2, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Researchers discovered lysosomes unexpectedly while studying liver enzymes. This finding highlights the importance of flexibility in scientific exploration beyond rigid research plans.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Enzymology

Background:

  • Investigating hepatic glucose 6-phosphatase activity in rat liver homogenates.
  • Standard biochemical procedures for enzyme characterization were employed.

Observation:

  • An unrelated acid phosphatase in rat liver homogenates exhibited latency.
  • This acid phosphatase was found to be particle-bound in freshly prepared samples.

Findings:

  • The latent, particle-bound acid phosphatase was identified as a key characteristic of lysosomes.
  • Further experiments elucidated the nature and properties of this enzyme.

Implications:

  • Led to the serendipitous discovery of lysosomes 50 years ago.
  • Demonstrates the value of unexpected observations in scientific research.
  • Underscores the importance of adaptable research methodologies over strict adherence to protocols.