Which organelle is a membrane-bound vesicle containing digestive enzymes, digests waste material and foreign matter?

• A. Lysosome
• B. Vacuole
• C. Golgi apparatus
• D. Nucleus

Answer: (A)

The lysosome is the membrane-bound vesicle that contains digestive enzymes to break down waste material and foreign matter. Its enzymes, known as hydrolytic enzymes, work best in a small, acidic environment inside the lysosome, which is kept separate from the rest of the cell by its surrounding membrane to prevent damage to the cytoplasm. Lysosomes digest materials taken in by the cell through endocytosis or recycle damaged organelles (autophagy), playing a key role in waste processing and cellular maintenance. In contrast, a vacuole is mainly a storage compartment, the Golgi apparatus modifies and packages proteins and lipids, and the nucleus houses genetic material, none of which are primarily digestive compartments.