[Lysosomes in embryonic cell differentiation]

Lysosomes as a modeling factor of embryonal morphogenesis occupy an important place in the systemic structural and ultrastructural studies on prenatal development of man. Human embryos at the age of 6 to 10 weeks of embryonal development, obtained after interruption of normal pregnancy by the method vacuum excochleation according to Andreev. Lysosomes were investigated in cells of groups, chosen in advance, from organs with various origin and degree of cellular differentiation: neurones of the spinal cord and spinal ganglia, keratinocytes of the epidermis, epithelium of lentil vesicle, chondrocytes of Merkel's cartilage, epithelium of intestines and bronchi, hepatocytes, myoblasts, corticocytes, of coelomic fetal and definitive cortex of the adrenal, metanephros, coelomic epithelium of gonad, epithelium of Mueller's duct and Wolff's ducts, hemopoietic foci and capillary vasothelium. Lysosomes were divided into three groups: primary lysosomes, secondary autolysosomes and cytosomes. Lysosomes participate in the following processes during the course of embryonal organogenesis: 1. destruction of cells of transient embryonal organs; 2. destruction and demolition of whole cells during the course of normal embryonal development; covering with a membrane and lysis of inferior cellular organelles; 5. lysis with consecutive assimilation of cytoplasmic inclusion; lysis of secretory products.