Is this guy not the coolest thing you've ever seen? Taking on the role of the lysosome would be taking on a huge responsibility within the cell, which is why, if I had to choose an organelle to be, I would be the lysosome.
The lysosome is a small little guy, only measuring out to be from 0.1-1.2 micrometers in size (which is really small!) But don't think for one second that just because this organelle is small that it cannot do a huge job. As seen from the picture, inside this little lysosome contains an acidic enzyme mixture of a pH of 4.8 compared to the cytosol at around a pH of 7.2. The acidic contents are contained within the lysosome's own lipid bilayer. Lysosomes inside the cell act as the digestive player, taking in materials that need to be broken down. It also can act as a "suicide" organelle if given the instructions to break apart, which in turn lead to the spilling out of the acidic contents, and the cell "eats" itself (called apoptosis). This usually happens if the cell realizes that the cell as a whole is not functioning properly and can possibly turn catastrophic (in such cases as cancer).
Unfortunately, sometimes the lysosome malfunctions and the cell doesn't realize that it is potentially deadly, resulting in a lysosomal disease. Under the lysosomal storage diseases is the accumulation of about 50 specific diseases. One of these diseases is the Tay Sachs disease. This disease is extremely rare and most common in Europe and those with Jewish backgrounds. Tay Sachs causes a mutation in the HEXA gene, which provides instruction for creating an enzyme called beta-hexosaminidase A. This enzyme is found inside the lysosome and plays a critical role in the brain and spinal cord and helps to break down the fatty substance called GM2 ganglioside. Because of a mutation within the HEXA gene, the GM2 ganglioside cannot break down and accumulates to toxic levels, leading to neuron damage.
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| Shows the large lipid rings inside the neuron cytoplasm as a result of the stored lipids inside the lysosomes |
Fun Facts:
The lysosome contains a numerous amount of enzymes that act as catalysts such as...
- Glycosidase- breaks down glycosidic linkages in sugar molecules
- Protease- breaks down peptide bonds
- Acid Phosphatase- breaks down phosphate linkages
- Nuclease- breaks down phospodiester bonds in nucleotide subunits in nucleic acids
And many more! These enzymes are all synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum and modified in the Golgi apparatus.
Why I would want to be a lysosome is because I could control destruction. I know that sounds morbid but just think about how much cancer could be prevented if the lysosome was triggered properly to destruct a cell. If I studied as a biologist and focused on the cell, I would definitely focus mainly on the lysosome. I would want to figure out a way to trigger the lysosome to self-destruct if it detects extreme levels of either materials inside the lysosome itself or if it could detect rapid division of the cell.
