Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Cells, Microbes & Viruses => Topic started by: Simulated on 17/09/2008 11:43:00

Title: How do Lysosomes work?
Post by: Simulated on 17/09/2008 11:43:00

I know they are a "bag of destructive enzymes", but once they "eat" the cell what stops them from just going completely crazy and eating everything else? Enzymes are proteins that don't break down in chemical reactions, beacause they are catalst right?

Title: How do Lysosomes work?
Post by: Nobody's Confidant on 17/09/2008 14:24:24

They have timer, is my guess. Let's say they have five minutes to live after the sac they are in is broken. That means, in five minutes when the cell is dead or well on it's way they die themselves.
Again, that's a guess.

Title: How do Lysosomes work?
Post by: blakestyger on 17/09/2008 17:08:11

Lysosome enzymes are are adapted to work in the acid conditions (at around pH 4.8) of the lysosomal interior. So that if an enzyme should escape from the sac it is inactivated by the neutral pH of the cell cytosol so it can't attack the cell contents.

Title: How do Lysosomes work?
Post by: Simulated on 17/09/2008 23:57:11

Thanks

Title: How do Lysosomes work?
Post by: Nobody's Confidant on 19/09/2008 14:19:06

I thought the whole purpose is to destroy cell components, if it's deactivated as soon as it's freed, what's the point?

Title: How do Lysosomes work?
Post by: blakestyger on 19/09/2008 19:12:57

Not all cell components - these hydrolytic enzymes degrade aged or defective cell components  together with any other alien material taken in by the cell from its environment, like bacteria.

Title: How do Lysosomes work?
Post by: Nobody's Confidant on 22/09/2008 14:23:19

Oh