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Lysosomes are a major site of intracellular digestion.
They contain hydrolytic enzymes, including glycosidases, lipases, nucleases, peptidases, phospholipases, phosphatases, and sulfatases for degradation of macromolecules at an acidic pH. Lysosomal enzyme precursors are bound by mannose 6-phosphate receptors at the trans Golgi network, sorted to the endosomes and subsequently reach the lysosomes. After endocytosis macromolecules destined for degradation can reach the lysosomes by vesicular transport via early and late endosomes. In a process called autophagy cellular organelles are enclosed by ER derived membranes. These structures are fused with a lysosome for degradation of its contents. Molecular defects of lysosomal enzymes, transport proteins and structural proteins of the lysosomal membrane, as well as defects in the lysosomal enzyme sorting machinery can cause lysosomal storage diseases.