what are functions of lysosomes
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Lysosomes function as the digestive system of the cell, serving both to degrade material taken up from outside the cell and to digest obsolete components of the cell itself.
Lysosomes are organelles that have three main functions:
Digestion: Lysosomes break down macromolecules like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. They also digest dead cellular material, foreign particles, and other unused cytoplasm materials.
Cell membrane repairs: Lysosomes help repair cell membranes.
Responses to foreign substances: Lysosomes respond to foreign substances like bacteria, viruses, and other antigens.
Lysosomes are also involved in:
Fertilization
Sperm release lysosomal enzymes to help penetrate the vitelline layer of the ovum.
Autophagy
Autophagy is a set of pathways that deliver cytoplasmic material into the lysosome for degradation.
Autophagocytosis
Autophagocytosis is the process of removing old organelles and malfunctioning cellular parts from a cell.
Lysosomes are also known as "suicide bags" because they release enzymes to digest damaged, aging, dead, or poorly working cells.