endosomal compartment

Microscopy indicates that, in some cells, the endosomal compartment comprise a network of membranous tubes and vesicles extending all the way to the cell nucleus. (WP)

Early endosomal compartment and early endosomes

Late endosomal compartment and late endosomes (multivesicular bodies)

The deep end of the endosomal compartment is called the late endosome compartment. It may take 5-15 minutes for materials to be transported from the cell surface through early endosomal compartments and on to the late endosome.

The endosomal compartment is usually acidic due to the action of a proton-pumping ATPase of the endosomal membrane. Many receptors involved in endocytosis of extracellular substances change their conformation at low pH and release their bound substance. The empty receptor proteins can then be sorted back to the cell surface.

Some materials that reach the late endosomes are degraded in lysosomes. Parts of the late endosomal compartment may become lysosomes or temporarily fuse with lysosomes in order to transfer endoctosed materials into the lysosomes. (WP)

Pathology of the endosomal compartment

 Hermansky-Pudlack disease
 Chediak-Higashi disease
 Griscelli disease
 pathogen entry

See also

 late endosomal compartment (multivesicular bodies)
 pathogen entry

References

 Gruenberg J, van der Goot FG. Mechanisms of pathogen entry through the endosomal compartments. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2006 Jul;7(7):495-504. PMID: 16773132

 Russell DG. Mycobacterium and Leishmania: stowaways in the endosomal network. Trends Cell Biol. 1995 Mar;5(3):125-8. PMID: 14732168

 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