LYSOSOMES

Small (0.2 0.5 m)

Spherical, single membranous vesicles
Contains hydrolytic digestive enzymes,
lysozymes.
Functions:
a)Intracellular digestion - Phagocytosis
b)Autophagy to recycle the cells own organic
materials (damaged organelles).

PHAGOCYTOSIS
Lysosome contains
active hydrolytic
enzymes.

Food vacuole fuses

with lysosome.

Hydrolytic
enzymes
(lysozymes) digest
food particles.

Digestion products, including simple

sugars, amino acids, and others
monomers, pass into the cytosol and
become nutrients for the cell.

AUTOPHAGY
Lysosome fuses with the outer
membrane of the vesicle.
The lysosome enzymes (lysozymes)
dismantle the enclosed material.
The organic monomers are returned to
the cytosol for reuse.
E.g: A human liver cell recycles half of
its macromolecules each week.

Tay-Sachs Disease
Lacking of a functioning
hydrolytic enzyme normally
present in lysosomes.
The lysosomes become
engorged with indigestible
substrates, which begin to
interfere with other cellular
activities.
E.g: Tay-Sachs disease, a lipiddigesting enzyme missing or
inactive, and the brain becomes
impaired by an accumulation of
lipids in the cells.