Concept:Lysosomes are membrane-bound organelles that act as the cell's digestive system.
Explanation:Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes like proteases, lipases, and nucleases.
These enzymes break down foreign materials such as bacteria and viruses that enter the cell via phagocytosis.
This process aids in the immune response and removes cellular debris.
Lysosomes also perform autophagy (digesting damaged cell components) and apoptosis (programmed cell death).
They maintain an acidic internal environment (pH ~5) for optimal enzyme activity.
Lysosomal dysfunction leads to storage disorders like Tay-Sachs disease.
Answer:To digest foreign material.