Lysosomaal

Lysosomaal is an adjective used in cell biology to describe anything related to lysosomes, the membrane-bound organelles responsible for degrading biological materials. The term derives from lysosome, with the suffix -al forming an adjective in several languages; in English the more common form is lysosomal, while lysosomaal may be encountered in some texts or non-English usage.

Lysosomes contain acid hydrolases and maintain an acidic interior (pH around 4.5–5.0) via vacuolar-type H+-ATPases. They function in turnover of worn organelles (autophagy), digestion of endocytosed material, and defense against pathogens. The lysosomal membrane protects the cytosol from hydrolases and regulates transport of breakdown products.

Disruptions in lysosomal function cause lysosomal storage diseases, a group of inherited disorders characterized by accumulation of undegraded substrates, with symptoms that vary by tissue involvement. Treatments include enzyme replacement therapy and substrate reduction therapy in some diseases.

Lysosomaal also appears in the discussion of lysosome-related organelles (LROs) in specialized cells, such as melanosomes in pigment cells and lytic granules in cytotoxic lymphocytes; these organelles share features with lysosomes but have distinct functions.

The term is more commonly translated as lysosomal in English, while lysosomaal may appear in other languages or older literature.