Tay-Sachs disease and normal cerebellar cells in culture: elevated levels of lysosomal enzymes in Tay-Sachs disease cells.

Tay-Sachs disease and normal fetal cerebellar cells were maintained in culture for up to four weeks. Elevated levels of the lysosomal enzymes hexosaminidase B, beta-galactosidase, and acid phosphatase were observed in the Tay-Sachs cells in long term cultures although elevated lysosomal enzyme levels were not observed in the normal cultures. Similarly, elevated lysosomal enzyme activities were observed in Tay-Sachs cultures which had been treated with Concanavalin A.