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whatkneww whatkneww
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13 years ago
i have been trying lots of sources to find a definitive answer, but i can't seem to come to a conclusion.

do plant cells have lysosomes?

my SAT(barron bio e/m 3rd edition) book says that they don't, but a college textbook of mine says that it does.

i don't know which one is right.
thanks  Slight Smile
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wrote...
13 years ago
Typically they don't, but they actually do exists in plants. Remember, in animals, lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes that protect against pathogens. Plants don't typically have this mechanism (i.e. an immune system).
Biology!
wrote...
Staff Member
13 years ago Edited: 13 years ago, duddy
Plants don't typically have this mechanism (i.e. an immune system).

So?

Look at this: https://biology-forums.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=221

Structurally, plant and animal cells are very similar because they are both eukaryotic cells. They both contain membrane-bound organelles such as the nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, golgi apparatus, lysosomes, and peroxisomes. Both also contain similar membranes, cytosol, and cytoskeletal elements. The functions of these organelles are extremely similar between the two classes of cells (peroxisomes perform additional complex functions in plant cells having to do with cellular respiration). However, the few differences that exist between plant and animals are very significant and reflect a difference in the functions of each cell.

It is conflicting...
- Master of Science in Biology
- Bachelor of Science
wrote...
Valued Member
13 years ago
Ha! You've put your finger on a messy little squabble among plant biologists that has gone on for years.

Current evidence suggests that "YES," some plant cells do contain lysosomes.

I did not flatly state that plant cells contain lysosomes because many cell biologists claim that they do not, and it was possible that such a flat statement would be considered an "error" by many teachers. However, there is emerging evidence that, in fact, they do. Here's a paper from the Journal "Plant Cell," pointing out the existence of an organelle in a plant cell that meets every criterion of a lysosome:

"Barley Aleurone Cells Contain Two Types of Vacuoles: Characterization of Lytic Organelles by Use of Fluorescent Probes." Sarah J. Swansona, Paul C. Bethkea, and Russell L. Jones . Plant Cell, Vol. 10, 685-698, May 1998
http://www.plantcell.org/cgi/content/full/10/5/685

Here's a passage from the paper:

"The existence of lysosomes in plants has long been debated (see, e.g., Moriyasu and Ohsumi 1996 ). Matile 1975 recognized that catabolic enzymes were essential for sustained biological activity and that these enzymes must be compartmentalized to prevent their indiscriminate hydrolysis of biopolymers. He proposed that plant proteases, nucleases, phosphatases, and other degradative enzymes were constituents of a "lytic compartment," a compartment that included the extracellular space, vacuoles, and other organelles containing lytic enzymes. With improved techniques for vacuole isolation, it became clear that many plant vacuoles contain enzymes found in animal lysosomes (Matile 1978 ; Wink 1993 ). Plant vacuoles were therefore seen as fulfilling the role of the animal lysosomal system (Boller and Wiemken 1986 ). "

This is just one paper of many reporting plant cell lysosomes. The first such report appeared more than 30 years ago: Matile (1968) "Lysosomes of root tip cells in corn seedlines." Planta 79: 181-196.

So, the answer to your question seems to be "yes," but it remains a controversial one.
whatkneww Author
wrote...
13 years ago
Thank you all for your information. I think i have a better understanding now.
wrote...
13 years ago
Thank you all for your information. I think i have a better understanding now.

There has been research that has shown that they do exist, but you never know who wrote those questions on that exam. Perhaps when that question was written, there was no research that showed that they "may" exist, so you're better safe than sorry and say they don't Slight Smile
Biology!
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