Upon permanent stresses and in various diseases, small protein aggregates may accumulate in cells and cause toxicity. A recently discovered protective system transports these aggregates to the centrosome location via microtubules, to form a large agglomerate of aggregates called the aggresomes. Here, we describe a newly developed method for isolating aggresomes. This principle can also be used for purification of other large structures and even organelles.
© 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.