What are lysosomes? The “garbage disposals” of your cells; digest and recycle materials that the cell no longer needs or has to get rid of. Lysosomes are very common in white blood cells, where disease and sickness are fought so a lot bacteria needs to be digested. Their shape and size vary depending on what material is digested. They contain about 40 different enzymes (ex. nucleases, proteases, lipases, and carbohydrases).

How are they structured? Enzyme-filled sacs Generally spherical Surrounded by single membrane

Main Functions of Lysosomes 1. Digestion of ingested material (by releasing enzymes into the new vacuole) 2. Autophagy & Cell Death (by digesting internal parts of the cell, such as organelles) In each example above, the red lysosomes combine with the grey unwanted material and then release their enzymes into the material so that the enzymes can digest it.