Practice question · Select all that apply
Which statements about lysosomes are correct?
Hints
- Three describe the lysosome; one contradicts the containment strategy.
- The enzymes are deliberately optimised for a pH the cytoplasm does not have.
Show the answer
- A. They digest worn-out organelles by autophagy
- B. They contain hydrolytic enzymes optimised for acidic pH
- C. Their interior is kept acidic by proton pumps
Why
Acidic optimum, proton pumps and autophagy are all correct. The final statement inverts the safety design: the enzymes are optimised for pH 5 precisely so that leakage into neutral cytoplasm is relatively harmless.
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