Final answer:
Worn-out organelles are degraded in lysosomes, which contain hydrolytic enzymes to break down various substances. Autophagosomes merge with lysosomes to digest damaged organelles, and lysosomes also play a role in phagocytosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The degradation of worn-out organelles occurs in lysosomes. Lysosomes are organelles that contain hydrolytic enzymes to break down various substances, including worn-out organelles and cellular debris.
For example, autophagosomes are vesicles that surround damaged organelles and eventually merge with lysosomes. The enzymes within lysosomes degrade the contents of autophagosomes, including worn-out mitochondria. Lysosomes also play a role in phagocytosis, where they digest foreign materials that are brought into the cell.
In animal cells, lysosomes are the primary site for the digestion of cellular debris and worn-out organelles. In plant cells, similar digestive processes occur in vacuoles.