What Is A Lysosome?

A lysosome is a cell organelle found in the cytoplasm of both animal and plant cells. It is a very simple structure, a sort of bag surrounded by its own lipid bilayer membrane. Lysosomes show up in electron microscope pictures as groups of dark granules.

Lysosomes contain enzymes and other noxious chemicals that can degrade and digest living tissue. The cytoplasm of the cell is protected because the toxic mixture cannot seep out of the lysosome membrane to damage the cytoplasm.

In cells such as neutrophils, the white blood cells that help the body fend off bacterial infection, there are loads of lysozomes. When a bacteria is located by a neutrophil, the large white cell moves towards it using its pseudopodia (false feet) and engulfs it into a vesicle in its cytoplasm. The white cell then discharges the contents of several lysosomes into the bacteria-containing vesicle, bombarding it with destructive chemicals.

Lysosomes are little sac-like organelles that contain digestive enzymes. The size of a lysosome varies between 0.1-1.2 micrometers.They are a cell's way of removing its waste material like old organelles and food as well as foreign intruders like bacteria.
The pH inside a lysosome is lesser than that of the whole cell. It is around 4.5 and maintained at this because it the breakdown in the lysosomes occurs best under this pH.
Lysosomes can break down the following compunds with the help of the enzymes adjacent to them. These enzymes are present in the lysosome sac.

Substrate   Enzyme
Proteins   Proteases
Lipids   Lipases
Carbohydrates  Carbohydrases
Nucleic acids     Nucleases

It is a organelle found in the cytoplasm of the cell, which has enzymes that is used in the breaking down of cellular components.

A cell component that recycles molecules.