lysosome

[lahy-suh-sohm]

noun

Cell Biology.

1. a cell organelle containing enzymes that digest particles and that disintegrate the cell after its death.

lysosome

/ ˈlaɪsəˌsəʊm /

noun

1. any of numerous small particles, containing digestive enzymes, that are present in the cytoplasm of most cells

lysosome

1. A cell organelle that is surrounded by a membrane, has an acidic interior, and contains hydrolytic enzymes that break down food molecules, especially proteins and other complex molecules. Lysosomes fuse with vacuoles to digest their contents. The digested material is then transported across the organelle's membrane for use in or transport out of the cell.

2. See more at cell

Other Word Forms

• lysosomal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lysosome¹

First recorded in 1950–55; lyso- + -some ³

Example Sentences

In a recent study published in Science China Life Sciences, the group identified a key process in which lysosomes -- tiny cellular compartments responsible for breaking down waste -- play a central role in clearing progerin.

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Rome assigned her the task of comparing the vesicles entering lysosomes with the ones exiting.

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In mammalian cells, YKT6 mediates the fusion of two cellular organelles -- the autophagosomes and lysosomes to form autolysosomes -- within which 'used' cellular proteins, lipids, and other molecules are degraded and recycled back for future use.

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Cells called fibroblasts and macrophages pick up collagen fragments for degradation in lysosomes, the trash compactors of cells.

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"Our results show a dysregulation of key molecules involved in the uptake of substances into cells, in receptor recycling, and in the degradation of molecules within specific cellular compartments called lysosomes," says Dichgans.

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