Article
Article
- Biology & Biomedicine
- Cell biology
- Lysosome
- Biology & Biomedicine
- Physiology
- Lysosome
Lysosome
Article By:
Walkley, Steven U. Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York.
Last reviewed:August 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.394100
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- Lysosome, published June 2014:Download PDF Get Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Enzymes
- Principal roles
- Involvement in disease
- Plants, yeast, and fungi
- Related Primary Literature
- Additional Reading
A membrane-bounded digestive structure found within virtually all types of animal cells. Lysosomes are major membrane-enclosed organelles involved in intracellular degradation of biological materials in most animal cells. Lysosome sizes, microscopic appearances, and other properties vary among different cell types and circumstances, owing in part to differences in their functions and states. Typical lysosomes (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) are roughly spherical or elongate bodies, with largest dimensions of 0.1–1 μm (0.000004–0.00004 in.) or greater. Tens to hundreds of lysosomes may be present in a single cell. See also: Cell (biology); Cell organization
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