Final answer:
Lysosomes perform intracellular digestion via phagocytosis, where the cell engulfs a particle, fuses with a lysosome, and digests it. Macrophages and neutrophils are examples of human cells that perform phagocytosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
One function of lysosomes is the intracellular digestion of particles engulfed by phagocytosis. This process begins when a cell extends part of its plasma membrane to enclose a foreign particle, forming a vesicle known as a phagosome.
The phagosome then fuses with a lysosome, creating a phagolysosome where the particle is digested by lysosomal enzymes. Undigested materials are later expelled from the cell.
Human cells that carry out phagocytosis include certain types of white blood cells like macrophages and neutrophils. These immune cells engulf and destroy pathogens, dead cells, and debris, helping to protect the body from infection and to remove cellular waste.