Lysosomes: Cell's Recycling Centers and Digestive Powerhouses

Lysosomes Lysosomes are cell organelles that contain many digestive enzymes originating from the working mechanism of the RE and Golgi apparatus, where the presence of digestive enzymes in these membranes makes the composition of lysosomes different from the surrounding environmental conditions (cytosol). Most of them are in animal cells and are responsible for breaking down components that are no longer needed by cells and then digesting them as simpler molecules. Lysosomes carry out the digestive mechanism when they are combined with materials that are ready to be digested and change from primary lysosomes to secondary lysosomes. The digested materials can come from outside the cell or from within the cell itself through the autolysosome mechanism. Lysosomes contain a number of enzymes to degrade polymers into monomers as their subunits. For example, nuclease enzymes will decompose RNA and DNA into mononucleotides, proteases will degrade proteins and peptides into amino acids, phosphatases will remove phosphate complexes from mononucleotides, phospholipids and other components. There are also enzymes that will break down complex polysaccharides and glycolipids into smaller units. All enzymes in lysosomes work efficiently in acidic conditions so they are often referred to as acid hydrolases. Hydrolytic enzymes and lysosomal membranes are made by rough ER which is then transferred to AG for further processing. Hydrolytic enzymes in lysosomes are used to recycle the cell's own organic material (autophagy) into organic monomers which will be returned to the cytosol for use again. With lysosomes, cells will continuously renew themselves. A human liver, for example, will recycle half its macromolecules every week. The relationship between the working mechanism of the RE and the Golgi apparatus includes structure and function, where shortly after proteins are synthesized in the REK, these proteins will leave the REK in transport vesicles which then go to the AG which has three parts, namely cis, medial and trans. Each part has different enzymes that will modify secretory proteins and membrane proteins depending on their structure and final destination. SUMMARY 1. The endomembrane system is a secretory pathway that involves membrane-bound cell organelles in the cell. These cell organelles are the endoplasmic reticum, Golgi apparatus, vesicles, vacuoles, and exit to the plasma membrane. 2. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) consists of two types, namely the smooth ER which has a tubular structure and a smooth surface. The main function of REH is to carry out lipid synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and offering drugs and poisons, as well as the synthesis of fatty acids and phospholipids. Rough ER has a tubular structure with a rough surface because it is attached to ribosomes. REK has the main function of carrying out protein synthesis, especially proteins used for secretory products. 3. The Golgi apparatus is one of the cell organelles that is included in the endomembrane system mechanism. The AG structure is a stacked membrane called a cistern, with two faces, namely cis and trans. The main function of AG is to perfect secretory proteins that have previously been synthesized in the ER. 4. Lysosomes are cell organelles that contain many digestive enzymes originating from the working mechanism of the RE and Golgi apparatus, with the main function being to degrade large molecules or recycle cell organelles that are no longer functioning into simpler molecules.