Lysosomes are stuctures in cells that play a role in the intracellular digestive system.
Normally lysosomes contain enzymes capable of breaking down certain carbohydrates,ffats and proteins. Lysosomal storage disorders are a group of diseases caused by a defective metabolism of compounds which then accumulate in the lysomes. Once these products begin to collect in the lysosome it becomes dysfunctional. For the majority of these conditions, the cause is an absent lysosomal enzyme or another enzyme required for the production of the lysosomal enzyme. Gaucher disease is a lysosomal storage disease resulting from glucocerebroside accumulation in macrophages due to a genetic deficiency of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase.