Human pathology

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multivesicular bodies

Multivesicular bodies are endosomes or prevacuolar compartments. The lumens of their internal vesicles are thought to be topologically equivalent to cytoplasm and their membranes direct proteins and lipids for degradation.

Functions

Separate vesicular pathways deliver proteins to the storage and lytic compartments. Mammalian secretory lysosomes also have two compartments served by separate vesicular pathways. The formation of separate storage and lytic compartments within MVBs poses problems for membrane organization and topology.

References

- Boes M, Cuvillier A, Ploegh H. Membrane specializations and endosome maturation in dendritic cells and B cells. Trends Cell Biol. 2004 Apr;14(4):175-83. PMID: 15066635

- Pornillos O, Garrus JE, Sundquist WI. Mechanisms of enveloped RNA virus budding. Trends Cell Biol. 2002 Dec ;12(12):569-79. PMID : 12495845

- Jiang L, Erickson A, Rogers J. Multivesicular bodies: a mechanism to package lytic and storage functions in one organelle? Trends Cell Biol. 2002 Aug;12(8):362-7. PMID: 12191912

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