We would like to devote our article to the question of what is the structure and function of lysosomes. We will consider this topic in detail from different angles, including the features of the process of formation of these structures, their varieties, structural features, and many other issues.
Before considering what the structure and function of lysosomes are, I would like to clarify some details. All living organisms that surround us consist of structural particles, cells. They can only be seen with a microscope. But a cell is a complete system, consisting of smaller parts, which are commonly called organelles. Today we will talk about one of them.
Lysosome: what is it?
What is the structure and function of lysosomes? These are small organelles, so a huge number of them can fit in a cell. On the other hand, the cells of some algae contain only 1 or 2 lysosomes, which are much larger than usual.(approximately 0.2 µm). So, all lysosomes can be divided into three groups:
- primary;
- secondary;
- residual bodies.
Since we are considering how the structure and function of lysosomes looks like, then from the article it will become clear to you why these species are needed and what is their significance for the life of the cell. It is only important to clarify that primary lysosomes pass into secondary ones, but the reverse process is impossible.
Structure of lysosomes
What are lysosomes, structure and functions? The table will help us figure out what is inside the organelles. Organelles contain more than 50 different protein enzymes. The lysosome itself is covered with a thin membrane that separates biologically active substances from the internal environment of the cell. In the table, we will list the most significant enzymes and describe their functions.
| Enzyme | Meaning |
| Esterases | Needed for the breakdown of essential alcohols. |
| Peptide-hydrolases | Needed for the hydrolysis of compounds having a peptide bond. This group includes proteins, peptides and some other substances. |
| Nucleases | This group of enzymes accelerates the hydrolysis of phosphodiester bonds in the polynucleotide chain of nucleic acids. This is how mono- and oligonucleotides are formed. |
| Glycosidases | Enzymes of this group provide the process of splitting carbohydrates. |
| Hydrolases | Serve for the hydrolysis of amides. |
Formation of lysosomes
So, we have learned what lysosomes are, the structure and functions (briefly) of which we will briefly consider in this article. We have already said that organelles are divided into three groups (primary, secondary and residual bodies). The first group is formed from the membrane of the Golgi apparatus, at this stage it is easy to confuse them with small vacuoles. Lysosomes can fuse and form organelles of more complex structure and size.
If the primary lysosome captures any substances, then the process of cellular digestion starts. An organoid that is able to break down compounds with the help of enzymes already belongs to the category of secondary lysosomes. As a result of the digestion of substances, compacted residual bodies can form (this is the third stage of the lysosome life cycle).
Functions of organelles
We looked at the types of lysosomes, structure and functions (table) - this is our next question. We decided to use the most visual and understandable form, that is, a table.
| Function | Characteristic |
| Intracellular digestion | Lysosomes contain a large number of enzymes capable of breaking down any compounds by hydrolysis. This is how intracellular digestion occurs. Substances enter the lysosome and are processed, forming low molecular weight compounds, which the cell thenuses for his own needs. |
|
Autophagy |
This process allows you to get rid of unnecessary or old cell organelles. Autophagy is a way to renew cellular organelles. |
| Autolysis | In another way, this process can be called the self-destruction of the cell. When the membranes of all lysosomes of a cell are destroyed, the latter dies. |
Conclusion
We learned what lysosomes are. Features of the structure and function (table) were given in the article. In conclusion, I would like to say that some diseases may occur if these organelles are disrupted. For example, medicine knows hereditary diseases associated specifically with the violation of the functions of lysosomes. This group of pathologies includes mucopolysaccharidoses, sphingolipidoses, glycoproteinoses and many others.
