Library · Cell
Lysosome
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A lysosome is a compartment inside the cell that holds digestive enzymes. Picture a chamber sealed by a membrane: the inside provides the acidic environment these enzymes need, while the rest of the cell is kept separate from it.
The lysosome's hydrolytic enzymes cut large molecules into smaller parts. This allows the cell to break down material and recover components it can reuse.
In brief
A lysosome is a membrane-bound organelle that contains digestive enzymes.
Its membrane keeps an acidic compartment separate from the rest of the cell. Inside, hydrolytic enzymes break large molecules into smaller ones that can be reused. That recycling takes place within the same compartment.
Picture a sealed chamber where the cell breaks down large molecules without exposing its entire interior to those enzymes.
Sources (1)
- National Human Genome Research InstituteLysosomePublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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