Evidence for phagosome-lysosome fusion in Mycobacterium leprae-infected murine Schwann cells.

Murine Schwann cells were infected with viable armadillo-derived Mycobacterium leprae in vitro, and the lysosomal marker enzyme, acid phosphatase, was stained by the Gomori reaction. Electron microscopic analysis revealed that Schwann cells infected with M. leprae possess acid phosphatase and that lysosomes fuse with infected phagosomes.