睾丸间质细胞——研究自体吞噬的一种正常细胞模型

细胞在生理状态下自体吞噬出现的频率很低,很难用正常细胞来研究自体吞噬活动,一般都通过诱导自体吞噬来获得有关自体吞噬活动的资料。本实验观察了肝、肾、睾丸等组织的32种细胞,发现睾丸间质细胞中自体吞噬出现频率远远高于其他细胞,平均每100个细胞切面中可以看到25个自噬小体,从而为研究自体吞噬的过程和机理提供了一个正常细胞模型。本实验还观察到睾丸间质细胞的自体吞噬活动可分为前自噬小体、早期自噬小体和晚期自噬小体三个阶段,是一个连续的过程。前自噬小体和早期自噬小体不含溶酶体酶,只有在自噬小体与溶酶体接触后,才从后者获取溶酶体酶并将其内容物消化分解,成为晚期自噬小体。由自体吞噬所产生的残余体并不在睾丸间质细胞内积聚,而是通过胞吐作用排出细胞外。

LEYDIG CELLS A NORMAL CELL MODEL OF CELLULAR AUTOPHAGY

In the present study, we tried to estimate, in a semiquantitative way, the relative frequency of the autophagic activity in various cell types under physiological condition. The results indicated that the highest activity appeared to be in the Leydig cells of rat testes. Autophagosomes were frequently observed in electron microscope photographs of Leyding cells, which provide a good model to study the autophagocytosis in normal cells. The autophagic process in Leydig cells was observed with the electron microscope in preparations treated to show CMPase activity. The mode of formation of autophagosomes in Leydig cells can be divided into three steps. Step 1, flattened membranous elements expend to enclose a small cytoplasmic territory to form pre-autophagosome. Step 2, The double membrane profile of the pre-autophagosomc then completely encloses the cytoplasmic territory to form early autophagosome in which structurally normal organelles arc contained. Step 3, the transformation of an early autophagosome into a late one is accompanied by the loss of one of the two delimiting membranes, the partial disintegration of the enclosed content and simultaneous acquisition of acid phosphatase activity. The enzymatic reactivity is acquired following a close association with the lysosomes. The late autophagosome then reaches the cell surface and appear to exocytose their residual content.