Intracellular cytoplasmic vesicles filled with hydrolytic enzymes; especially prominent in phagocytic cells such as polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages.
Are small, spherical organelles containing digestive enzymes (acid hydrolases and other proteases (cathepsins)).
A membrane-surrounded organelle in the cytoplasm of eucaryotic cells which contains many hydrolytic enzymes. The lysosome internalizes and digests foreign proteins as well as cellular debris. The protein fragments (epitopes) are “presented” to T cells by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins on the surface of the eucaryotic cell.
In botany, bodies in the protoplasm that lack a double membrane, and contain enzymes for the lysis of proteins and lipids.
A particle in a cell which contains enzymes which break down substances such as bacteria which enter the cell.
Intracellular structures that contain digestive enzymes that attack material taken into the cells.
Organelle found in the cytoplasm of most cells, especially leukocytes and kidney and liver cells, which contains enzymes that function in digestive processes within cells.
A particle in the cytoplasm of cells that contains enzymes responsible for breaking down substances in the cell and is bounded by a single membrane. Lysosomes are especially abundant in liver and kidney cells. Foreign particles (e.g. bacteria) taken into the cell are broken down by the enzymes of the lysosomes. When the cell dies, these enzymes are released to break down the cell’s components.
A cell organelle that is part of the intracellular digestive system. Inside its limiting membrane, it contains a number of hydrolytic enzymes capable of breaking down proteins and certain carbohydrates. Lysosomal enzymes contribute to the digestion of pathogens phagocytized by a cell, and also to the tissue damage that accompanies inflammation.
Within the intricate realm of cellular biology, there exists a remarkable entity known as a membrane-enclosed compartment. This specialized compartment serves as a haven for numerous hydrolytic enzymes, each possessing the extraordinary ability to dismantle and break down large molecules and cellular components. It is within this wondrous enclosure that the intricate processes of degradation and recycling take place, unveiling the hidden secrets of cellular dynamics and ensuring the continuous flow of biochemical transformations.
Within every cell, there are structures responsible for breaking down the cell’s components for recycling when the cell dies.