Biological World

  Pleomorphism of Lysosomes Lysosomes show pleomorphism, which means they occur in many different forms according to their functional state. They are not always identical in shape, size, or contents. Their appearance changes depending on whether they are newly formed, involved in digestion, or storing undigested waste materials.  Lysosomes are membrane-bound organelles containing hydrolytic enzymes. These enzymes digest proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and other cellular materials. Since lysosomes perform different digestive functions inside the cell, they appear in different structural forms. This property is called pleomorphism.  The main pleomorphic forms of lysosomes are primary lysosomes, secondary lysosomes, autophagic vacuoles, and residual bodies. Primary lysosomes are newly formed lysosomes produced by the Golgi apparatus. They contain inactive hydrolytic enzymes and have not yet taken part in digestion. They are small, spherical vesicles surround...