lysosome

(noun)

An organelle found in all types of animal cells which contains a large range of digestive enzymes capable of splitting most biological macromolecules.

Related Terms

Examples of lysosome in the following topics:

  • Lysosomes

    • The vesicle fuses with a lysosome.
    • Usually, lysosomes are between 0.1 to 1.2μm, but the size varies based on the cell type.
    • Lysosomes are found in nearly every animal-like eukaryotic cell.
    • On the other hand, lysosomes are not commonly-found in plant cells.
    • Lysosomes are not needed in plant cells because they have cell walls that are tough enough to keep the large/foreign substances that lysosomes would usually digest out of the cell.

  • Vesicles and Vacuoles

    • Animal cells have a set of organelles not found in plant cells: lysosomes.
    • Lysosomes are a cell’s “garbage disposal.”
    • Enzymes within the lysosomes aid the breakdown of proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids, and worn-out organelles.
    • Therefore, the pH within lysosomes is more acidic than the pH of the cytoplasm.

  • Comparing Plant and Animal Cells

    • Animal cells each have a centrosome and lysosomes, whereas plant cells do not.
    • Animal cells have another set of organelles not found in plant cells: lysosomes.
    • The lysosomes are the cell's "garbage disposal."
    • Enzymes within the lysosomes aid the breakdown of proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, nucleic acids, and even worn-out organelles.
    • Therefore, the pH within lysosomes is more acidic than the pH of the cytoplasm.

  • Cell Structure, Metabolism, and Motility

    • The vesicle containing the ingested particle, the phagosome, then fuses with a lysosome containing hydrolytic enzymes to produce a phagolysosome, which breaks down the food particle into small molecules that diffuse into the cytoplasm for use in cellular metabolism.
    • The stages of phagocytosis include the engulfment of a food particle, the digestion of the particle using enzymes contained within a lysosome, and the expulsion of undigested materials from the cell.

  • Characteristics of Eukaryotic Cells

    • Animal cells have a centrosome and lysosomes, whereas plant cells do not.
    • The centrosome is a microtubule-organizing center found near the nuclei of animal cells while lysosomes take care of the cell's digestive process.
    • Despite their fundamental similarities, there are some striking differences between animal and plant cells.Animal cells have centrioles, centrosomes, and lysosomes, whereas plant cells do not.

  • Peroxisomes

    • In contrast to the digestive enzymes found in lysosomes, the enzymes within peroxisomes serve to transfer hydrogen atoms from various molecules to oxygen, producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).

  • Endocytosis

    • Once the vesicle containing the particle is enclosed within the cell, the clathrin disengages from the membrane and the vesicle merges with a lysosome for the breakdown of the material in the newly-formed compartment (endosome).
    • Pinocytosis results in a much smaller vesicle than does phagocytosis, and the vesicle does not need to merge with a lysosome .

  • Programmed Cell Death

    • It is a catabolic process that results in the autophagosomic-lysosomal degradation of bulk cytoplasmic contents, abnormal protein aggregates, and excess or damaged organelles.

  • Control of Metabolism Through Enzyme Regulation

    • The enzymes involved in the digestion of cellular debris and foreign materials are located within lysosomes.

  • Cell-Mediated Immunity

    • An antigen-presenting cell (APC), such as a macrophage, engulfs a foreign antigen, partially digests it in a lysosome, and then embeds it in an MHC class II molecule for presentation at the cell surface.