Endoplasmic reticulum-endosome contact increases as endosomes traffic and mature.

ABSTRACT: The endosomal pathway is responsible for plasma membrane cargo uptake, sorting, and, in many cases, lysosome targeting. Endosome maturation is complex, requiring proper spatiotemporal recruitment of factors that regulate the size, maturity, and positioning of endosomal compartments. In animal cells, it also requires trafficking of endosomes on microtubules. Recent work has revealed the presence of contact sites between some endosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although these contact sites are believed to have multiple functions, the frequency, dynamics, and physical attributes of these contacts are poorly understood. Here we use high-resolution three-dimensional electron microscopy to reveal that ER tubules wrap around endosomes and find that both organelles contact microtubules a

SUBMITTER: Friedman JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3608491 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature