Role of lysosomal morphology in aging and age-related diseases

Lysosomes are responsible for clearing cellular waste and facilitating material recycling, thus playing a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and even in resisting the development of various diseases. Lysosomes are highly dynamic organelles. While typically exhibiting a vesicular morphology, lysosomes can remodel into tubular structures under specific conditions; this morphological plasticity underpins their functional complexity. Aging triggers significant lysosomal morphological remodeling and functional decline, contributing to the development of age-related diseases, notably neurodegenerative disorders. Although lysosomal function has been extensively studied in age-related diseases, the mechanisms driving aging-associated morphological alterations and their pathophysiological significance remain elusive. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the regulation of lysosomal morphology and its changes and functions during aging and in age-related diseases. We propose that altered lysosomal morphology represents not merely a hallmark of aging, but also a significant determinant of lysosomal and cellular functions during aging. Targeting lysosomal morphology holds promise as an emerging strategy for counteracting functional deterioration in aged lysosomes and mitigating associated disease pathogenesis.