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Updated: Aug 30, 2025

Organelle Transport in Cultured Drosophila Cells: S2 Cell Line and Primary Neurons.
Published on: November 20, 2013
Transport-dependent maturation of organelles in neurons
Amal Mathew1, Sandhya P Koushika1
1Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India.
Abstract:
Some organelles show a spatial gradient of maturation along the neuronal process where more mature organelles are found closer to the cell body. This gradient is set up by progressive maturation steps that are aided by differential organelle distribution as well as transport. Autophagosomes and endosomes mature as they acquire lysosomal membrane proteins and decrease their luminal pH as they are retrogradely transported towards the cell body. The acquisition of lysosomal proteins along the neuronal processes likely occurs through fusion or membrane exchange events with Golgi-derived donor transport carriers that are transported anterogradely from the cell body. The mechanisms by which endosomes and autophagosomes mature might be applicable to other organelles that are transported along neuronal processes. Defects in axonal transport may also contribute to the accumulation of immature organelles in neurons. Such accumulations have been seen in neurons of neurodegenerative models.
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