Studies on the involvement of lysosomes in estrogen action, I. Isolation and enzymatic properties of pig endometrial lysosomes.

Pig endometrium cells, collected by curettage and homogenized in an all-glass Potter Elvehjem homogenizer, gave a considerably higher yield of intact mitochondria and lysosomes than homogenates of whole uterus obtained with the Ultraturrax or the Parr bomb. After homogenization of the cells and subfractionation in the presence of Mg2, mitochondria and lysosomes equilibrated at the same modal density in isopycnic centrifugation. Homogenization and subfractionation in buffers devoid of divalent cations and containing EDTA resulted in a decrease in the buoyant density of mitochondria, allowing for a separation from lysosomes. The pH optima and the specific activities of two mitochondrial enzymes and eight hydrolyases used as marker enzymes were determined. The morphological characteristics of fractions were established by electron microscopy. Preliminary results indicate an involvement of lysosomes in steroid metabolism rather than in steroid and receptor translocation into the nucleus.