Which organelle stores digestive enzymes in a cell?

Lysosomes are specialized organelles that play a crucial role in the digestion and breakdown of various biomolecules within a cell. They contain hydrolytic enzymes that are capable of degrading proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. This enables lysosomes to effectively digest worn-out organelles, cellular debris, and foreign materials that have been engulfed by the cell through processes such as phagocytosis.

The enzymes stored in lysosomes are synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum, modified in the Golgi apparatus, and then packaged into lysosomes, where they remain inactive until needed for digestion. When a lysosome fuses with an endosome or phagosome that contains material to be digested, the enzymes are activated and begin breaking down the material.

This function makes lysosomes essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis, recycling cellular components, and defending against pathogens. While other organelles like vesicles and vacuoles do play roles in storage and transport within the cell, they do not specifically store digestive enzymes like lysosomes do.