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Lysosome


LYSOSOME


Nature, Occurrence and structure:

  • Lysosomes are small, dark, spherical, sac like structures.
  • They are bound by a single membrane.
  • They are distributed in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells.
  • Their cavity is filled with fluid which contains digestive enzymes.
  • Lysosomal enzymes are secreted by endoplasmic reticulum and are transported to it through Golgi Apparatus.
  • These enzymes help in intracellular digestion and thus act as a disposal system of the cell.

 

Intracellular digestion:

  • They serve as intracellular digestive system thus involved in metabolizing waste material like cell debris. Hence they are known as scavengers, cellular housekeepers and demolition squads.

 

Protection from foreign particles (phagocytosis):

  • They can digest the incoming foreign particle like bacteria; virus etc thus helps in protecting the cell from such invaders.

 

Autophagy:

  • It can digest the worn out organelles of the cell then these are replaced by new organelles.
  • It helps in removing the self organelles whose function is over or ageing has occurred. This property of removing self cell organelles is known as autophagy.

 

Autolysis:

  • When the cell gets damaged, these lysosomes get burst and their hydrolytic enzymes digest the entire cell. This property of digesting or eating up of self cell is known as autolysis. Thus they are known as suicide bags of a cell.