Review : Peroxisomes : The current understanding | Society of Life Sciences (SoLS)

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ISSN : 2328-9791

Review : Peroxisomes : The current understanding

Francesca Di Cara

University of Alberta

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6E 1M9, Canada.

dicara@ualberta.ca

Peroxisomes are small extremely specialized organelles present in the cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells. Peroxisomes originate from the endoplasmic reticulum and therefore are considered a specialized branch of the cell's secretory system. Peroxisomes are the host cellular compartment where many vital metabolic pathways take place, including: alpha and betaâ€oxidation of fatty acids, ether lipid biosynthesis and peroxides detoxification. In the past 20 years there has been a significant growth in our understanding of the biology of eukaryotic peroxisomes. Research on peroxisomes biogenesis and function revealed that mutations in genes encoding four peroxisomes proteins are responsible for the development of severe genetic diseases known as Peroxisome Biogenesis Disorders. This review will cover the latest knowledge on peroxisome morphogenesis,...