Key Difference – Lysosome vs Vacuole
Lysosome is a membrane bound organelle designed for the functions of digestion and phagocytosis. Vacuole is another type of cell organelle containing water, pigments, excretory substances etc. This is the key difference between lysosome and vacuole.
A cell is the fundamental unit of life. The cell contains various types of cell organelles. Lysosomes and vacuoles are two types of cell organelles. Each organelle performs an important function within the cell.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Lysosome
3. What is Vacuole
4. Similarities Between Lysosome and Vacuole
5. Side by Side Comparison – Lysosome vs Vacuole in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is a Lysosome?
Lysosomes are membrane bound cell organelles found in eukaryotic cells including plant and animal cells. Lysosomes are formed by budding off vesicles of Golgi bodies. They are filled with hydrolytic enzymes such as proteases and lipases, etc. They are spherical shaped small vesicles present in the cytoplasm. The sole function of the lysosome is the digestion. Other than that, lysosomes are involved with autolysis of the cells. The membrane of the lysosome is single phospholipid membrane. Lysosomes can fuse with other organelles such as endosomes, etc.
There are two types of lysosomes mainly conventional lysosomes and secretory lysosomes. Lysosomes involve with phagocytosis and killing of foreign bodies that enter the cell. And also lysosomes involve with phagocytosis.
Figure 01: Lysosome in an Animal Cell
A number of lysosomes present in a cell vary according to the cell type. Human cells contain approximately hundreds of lysosomes while phagocytic cell contains thousands of lysosomes. Secretary cells contain a comparatively high number of lysosomes.
What is a Vacuole?
The vacuole is a membrane bound organelle present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. A plant cell has a prominent vacuole while animal cells contain small vacuoles. Vacuoles are filled with water, excretory substances, pigments, wastes, etc. Vacuole does not have a definite shape and size. It depends according to the cellular need.
Figure 02: Vacuole
Vacuole performs several different functions within the cell such as containing water and waste product, separating harmful substances from cell cytoplasm, maintaining turgor and hydrostatic pressure, maintaining pH, etc.
What are the Similarities Between Lysosome and Vacuole?
- Both lysosome and vacuole are cell organelles.
- Both are surrounded by a membrane.
- Both are present in eukaryotic cells.
What is the Difference Between Lysosome and Vacuole?
Lysosome vs Vacuole |
|
| Lysosomes are membrane bound organelle containing hydrolytic enzymes and are known as suicide bags in both plant and animal cells. | Vacuole is a membrane bound space found in animal and plant cells that contain, sap, water, excretory substances etc. |
| Quantity |
|
| Lysosomes can be present in large numbers in a cell. | A big vacuole is present in a plant cell while few vacuoles (two or three) vacuoles can be seen in an animal cell. |
| Formation | |
| Lysosomes are derived from Golgi bodies. | The vacuole is not derived from Golgi bodies. |
| Found in | |
| Lysosomes are not found in bacterial cells. | Vacuoles are found in bacterial cells. |
| Function | |
| Lysosomes have a sole function; digestion. | Vacuoles are engaged with various functions. |
| Composition | |
| Lysosomes contain hydrolytic or the proteolytic enzymes. | Vacuoles contain water, pigments, excretory substances, wastes etc. |
| Result after Bursting | |
| When lysosomes burst into the cell, it causes the autolysis of the cell. | If vacuole bursts, occasionally it causes harm to the cell. |
| Phagocytosis | |
| Lysosomes involve with phagocytosis. | Vacuoles do not involve with phagocytosis. |
| Surrounding Membrane | |
| Lysosomes are bound with a single phospholipid bilayer. | Vacuole is bounded by a semipermeable membrane called tonoplast. |
| Types | |
| There are two major types of lysosomes namely conventional and secretory lysosomes. | Vacuoles are only one type. |
Summary – Lysosome vs Vacuole
Lysosome and vacuole are two cell organelles. Lysosomes contain hydrolytic enzymes and involve in the digestion of nutrients and phagocytosis. Vacouledoes various functions in the cell and it contains water, pigments, small molecules, excretory substances, etc. This is the difference between lysosome and vacuole.
Reference:
1.“Vacuole.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Apr. 2018. Available here
2.“Lysosome.” British Society for Cell Biology. Available here
Image Courtesy:
1.’0312 Animal Cell and Components’By OpenStax , (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2.’Plant cell structure svg vacuole’By Mariana Ruiz LadyofHats, (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia