Phagolysosome formation in normal and colchicine-treated macrophages.

Intracellular lysosomal fusion has been evaluated in cultivated mouse peritoneal macrophages by measurement of transfer of acid phosphatase to polyvinyltoluene (PVT)-containing phagolysosomes. Enzyme transfer was found to be directly and significantly related to the uptake of PVT and to be independent of time allowed for phagolysosome formation over time periods of 15 min to 18 h. In addition, the extent of transfer of lysosomal enzyme to phagolysosomes was unaffected by treatment of the cells with 10(-6) M colchicine, a dose which eradicates morphologically identifiable microtubules in this cell type within 2 h. The data indicate that intracellular fusion of lysosomes with phagosomes in the macrophage does not require formed microtubules and suggest that fusion occurs promptly after interiorization of inert particles.