1. An Inside Look: Lysosome
By: Edward Huang and Tai Pham

2. Location
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

3. Background Information
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

4. Function 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

5. Processes
Endocytosis: Extracellular macromolecules are taken up into the cell to form membrane-bound vesicles called endosomes

6. Processes
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

7. Products Products include amino acids and nucleotides
They are recycled back into the cell for reassembly and reuse