Apoptosis- A process of programmed cell death
I was reading in my textbook and got to the section on cell structures and their functions. Then I got distracted and geeked out about lysosomes for going on 5 days now! Lysosomes are organelles that clean up cellular debris and anything else that needs to be disposed of. They also play a role in the apoptosis that happens during fetal development of fingers and toes. A lack of lysosomal activity can lead to syndactly which is "webbed toes" or fingers.
I totally geeked out because my fantastical boyfriend has webbed toes! I started to wonder if he lacked lysosome activity in-between his toes...does he lack lysosome activity elsewhere? Could that even be dangerous...
So a googling I went! I found out that syndactly is included in syndromes of many genetic diseases! It can also be a result of familial inheritance.
My man is healthy and for sure inherited his webbed toes from a family member who shall remain unnamed ;)
However other types of lysosomal dysfunction can have devastating effects when they happen! One example of a lysosomal storage disease is Tay-Sachs disease, which is a result of lysosomes lacking a specific lipid digesting enzyme. This causes a buildup of this lipid in cells, especially in the cells of the nervous system. It leads to progressive neurodegeneration and eventual death in infants and young children. So lysosomes are quite important and have a role in many crucial cell processes! So far they are my favorite organelle!
My man is quite proud of his toes, and I think they are super cool too! My 8 year old was convinced we were trying to trick her when he showed them too her. She insisted he had glued them together! It was hilarious!
