Question

Give a note on lysosomes.

Answer 1

Lysosomes:

1. Lysosomes are single membrane-bound organelles and occur in animal cells.
2. The term ‘lysosome’ was derived from the Greek word ‘lysis’ which means ‘destruction’ and ‘soma’ which means ‘body’.
3. It was discovered by Belgian cytologist Christian de Duve in 1949.
4. Lysosomes are the waste disposal system of the cell since it contains digestive enzymes to break down the organic components of the cell and thus cause cell death.
5. Waste materials and foreign materials entering the cell, such as bacteria or food, as well as old worn-out organelles are digested by the enzymes of the lysosomes, which break them up into small pieces.
6. Lysosomes may burst when the cell gets damaged, and the enzymes digest their own cell. So, lysosomes are also known as the ‘suicide bags’ or ‘suicidal sacs’ of a cell.
7. They remove waste material from the cell and help to keep the cells healthy and rejuvenated, it is also called cellular housekeepers, scavengers, and demolition squads.