Question

Which of the following statements is/are incorrect with reference to lysosomes?
A.They are filled with acid hydrolase and other enzymes
B.They are monomorphic and uniform in structure and function
C.They maybe autophagic
D.They can digest proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides.

Answer 1

Hint:An organelle is a specialized entity present within cells that perform specific functions. Most types of cells have cell organelles like the nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, lysosomes, cell membrane, ribosomes, and Golgi apparatus to name a few.

Complete answer:
A small spherical organelle or vesicle which is encompassed in a lipid bilayer membrane that consists of digestive enzymes and is present in cells is known as a lysosome. The Golgi complex has a region known as the trans-Golgi network through which the lysosomes originate by budding. They are of two types which include secretory lysosomes and conventional lysosomes and have distinctly different functions. These lysosomes play a vital role in various cellular processes such as digesting large molecules such as carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins into macromolecules such as simple sugars, fatty acids, amino acids, etc. through the utilization of hydrolytic enzymes present in them, break-down of worn-out or excess cell parts, and destruction of invading pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria and virus. The lysosomes also assist in the process of the self-destruction of cells that are damaged beyond repair. This process is known as apoptosis.
Lysosomes digest organelles, cytoplasmic components, and other components with improper functions through a catabolic process in eukaryotic cells known as autophagy. Autophagy is a Greek word that means “self-eating”. Therefore, lysosomes are autophagic in nature.
Among many other enzymes, some of the different types of enzymes present in lysosomes include nucleases, amylases, acid phosphatases, proteases, and lipases. It has been estimated that enzymes are named based on the molecules that they break down. For instance, enzymes that break down nucleic acids are known as nucleases. Similarly, enzymes that break down proteins and sugars are called proteases and amylases respectively. Since lysosome is acidic in nature, therefore they are protected from the rest of the cell insides by a membrane that stores digestive enzymes, which require this acidic environment. These enzymes assist in the breakdown of macromolecules into micromolecules and are called acid hydrolase or hydrolytic enzymes.
As mentioned earlier that lysosomes are of two types and have different functions as discussed above, this indicates that lysosomes are not monomorphic in nature and do not have similar functions and structures.
Therefore, the incorrect statement is option B. They are monomorphic and uniform in structure and function.

Note:The Belgian cytologist who went by the name Christian René de Duve was the person who discovered lysosomes in the 1950s. In 1974, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of lysosomes and other organelles called the peroxisomes.