Download An Inside Look: Lysosome

An Inside Look:
Lysosome
By: Edward Huang and Tai Pham
Location
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In their simplest forms,
lysosomes are visualized as
dense spherical vacuoles.
(Approx. diameter ranging up to
one micrometer)
They can display considerable
variation in size and shape as a
result of differences in the
materials that have been taken
up for digestion.
This organelle is mainly found in
animal cells but are sometimes
found in plant cells
Background Information
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Formed by the function of
transport vesicles budded from
the trans-Golgi network with
endosomes, which contain
molecules taken up by
endocytosis at the plasma
membrane
Carry about 50 different
degradative enzymes that can
hydrolyze proteins, DNA, RNA,
polysaccharides, and lipids
Function
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Lyso- prefix: To loosen, dissolve,
or free
-some suffix: Body
Functions as the Digestive
System of the cell
Can be considered a “police
force” or “garbage disposer”
Degrades materials that are
taken up from outside the cell
or digest obsolete compounds
of the cell
Processes
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Endocytosis: Extracellular
macromolecules are taken up
into the cell to form
membrane-bound vesicles
called endosomes
Processes
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Phagocytosis: Carried out by
cells called macrophages that
engulf large extracellular
particles (ex. dead cells or
invaders) and target them for
lysosomal degradation
Autophagocytosis: Process
which old organelles and
malfunctioning cellular parts are
removed from a cell
Products
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Products include amino acids
and nucleotides
They are recycled back into the
cell for reassembly and reuse