What is lysosomes and what is contains?
Lysosomes is a small sac type membrane that is filled with a powerful digestive enzyme called hydrolytic. It is mainly found in animal cells and destroy or act as a cleaning agents of a cell. It helps to destroying infected cells by foreign particles, digesting unwanted material or worn out organelles. It also decompose dead cells.
Whenever cell wants to remove harmful particles, then lysosomes will burst and release the digestive enzyme on that material which cause to destroy or kill that material. This helps to maintain the cell functionality and cleanness.
How Lysosomes Protect the Cell
Lysosomes do much more than destroy cells. They perform several useful functions.
| Function | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Digestion of food | It Breaks down large food particles into simpler substances |
| Destroy Foreign substance | It Kills microorganism that are harmful for cells |
| Remove waste | It helps to Digest unwanted cellular materials |
| Recycle organelles | It Breaks down old dead organelles. |
| Cell destroy | It Destroy damaged or infected cells |
Types of Materials Digested by Lysosomes
Lysosomes can digest many substances which are as follows
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
- Lipids (fats)
- DNA and RNA
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Damaged organelles
- Dead cells
Why Doesn’t the Lysosome Digest the Healthy Cell?
If lysosomes contain powerful enzymes, why don’t they destroy the healthy cell?
The answer is:
- The membrane of lysosomes prevents enzymes from coming into contact with healthy cell parts.
- Lysosomal enzymes are safely enclosed inside a single membrane sac like structure.
- The enzymes work best in an acidic environment inside the lysosome.
- The cytoplasm has a nearly neutral pH so even if a small amount of enzyme leaks out then it doesn’t harm neighbor cells.
Important Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lysosome | Cell organelle containing digestive enzymes |
| Hydrolytic enzymes | Enzymes that digest biological molecules |
| Autolysis | Self-digestion of a cell |
| Intracellular digestion | Digestion inside the cell |
| Phagocytosis | Engulfing bacteria or particles |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why are lysosomes called suicidal bags?
They are called suicidal bags because they contain digestive enzymes that can digest the entire cell if it is severely damaged or no longer needed.
2. Which enzymes are present in lysosomes?
Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes such as proteases, lipases, nucleases, and carbohydrases that digest proteins, fats, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.
3. What is autolysis?
Autolysis is the process of self-digestion, in which lysosomal enzymes break down the cell from within.
4. Are lysosomes present in plant cells?
Lysosomes are mainly found in animal cells. Plant cells usually use lytic vacuoles which perform similar digestive functions.
5. Why don’t lysosomes digest healthy cells?
Their enzymes are enclosed within a membrane and work best in an acidic environment. This prevents them from damaging healthy cell components under normal conditions.
6. What is the main function of lysosomes?
Their main function is to digest waste materials, destroy harmful microorganisms, recycle dead organelles, and help maintain the cell’s health.
