Hemifusomes constitute up to 10% of vesicular organelles at the cell periphery but do not engage in canonical endocytic pathways, according to a team of biologists from the University of Virginia and the National Institutes of Health.
“This is like discovering a new recycling center inside the cell,” said co-senior author Dr. Seham Ebrahim, a researcher at the University of Virginia.
“We think the hemifusome helps manage how cells package and process material, and when this goes wrong, it may contribute to diseases that affect many systems in the body.”
“One such condition is Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that can cause albinism, vision problems, lung disease and issues with blood clotting.”
“Problems with how cells handle cargo are at the root of many such disorders.”
“We’re just beginning to understand how this new organelle fits into the bigger picture of cell health and disease.”
“It’s exciting because finding something truly new inside cells is rare – and it gives us a whole new path to explore.”
Using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), the researchers created striking images of the hemifusomes.
They believe these organelles facilitate the formation of vesicles, tiny blister-like sacs that act as mixing bowls, and of organelles made up of multiple vesicles.
This process is critical to cellular sorting, recycling and debris disposal.
“You can think of vesicles like little delivery trucks inside the cell,” Dr. Ebrahim said.
“The hemifusome is like a loading dock where they connect and transfer cargo. It’s a step in the process we didn’t know existed.”
While the hemifusomes have escaped detection until now, they are surprisingly common in certain parts of our cells.
The scientists are eager to better understand their importance to proper cellular function and learn how problems with them could be contributing to disease.
Such insights could lead to targeted treatments for a range of serious…
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