Lysosomes

Lysosomes are tiny, membrane-bound vesicular structures. They are produced through the packaging activity that takes place in the Golgi apparatus, so they originate as vesicles pinched off from that organelle.

What lysosomes contain

When lysosomal vesicles are isolated and studied, they are found to be extremely rich in almost every type of hydrolytic enzyme. These enzymes, known as hydrolases, include:

• Lipases, which act on lipids
• Proteases, which act on proteins
• Carbohydrases, which act on carbohydrates

Conditions for activity

The enzymes inside lysosomes work best under acidic conditions — they are optimally active at an acidic pH.

What lysosomes break down …