Everything about Lipofuscin totally explained
Lipofuscin is the name given to finely granular yellow brown
pigment granules composed of
lipid-containing residues of
lysosomal digestion. It is considered one of the aging or "wear and tear" pigments; found in the
liver,
kidney,
heart muscle,
adrenals,
nerve cells, and
ganglion cells. It is specifically arranged around the nucleus. It doesn't affect normal cellular morphology and function. "Liver spots" commonly associated with aging are superficial
dermal lipofuscin deposits.
Formation and turnover
It appears to be the product of the
peroxidation of
unsaturated fatty acids, and may be symptomatic of membrane damage, or damage to
mitochondria and
lysosomes. Aside from a large lipid content, lipofuscin is known to contain sugars and metals, including
mercury,
aluminum,
iron,
copper and
zinc.
The accumulation of lipofuscin-like material may be the result of an imbalance between formation and disposal mechanisms: such accumulation can be induced in rats by administering a
protease inhibitor; after a period of three months, the levels of the lipofuscin-like material return to normal, indicating the action of a significant disposal mechanism. However, this result is controversial, as it's questionable if the leupeptin-induced material is true lipofuscin. There exists evidence that "true lipofuscin" isn't degradable
in vitro; whether this holds
in vivo over longer time periods isn't clear.
Relation to diseases
Lipofuscin accumulation is a major risk factor implicated in
macular degeneration, a degenerative disease of the eye.
Abnormal accumulation of lipofuscin is associated with a group of
diseases of
neurodegenerative disorder type called
lipofuscinoses, for example,
neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, also known as
Batten disease, as well as some other names.
Pathological accumulation of lipofuscin is implicated in
Alzheimer's disease,
Parkinson's disease, certain
lysosomal diseases,
acromegaly,
denervation atrophy,
lipid myopathy,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
centronuclear myopathy.
Accumulation of lipofuscin in the colon is the cause of the condition
melanosis coli.
Possible treatments
A
calorie restricted diet appears to reduce or halt the production of lipofuscin.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Lipofuscin'.
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