Question

Devon next researched Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). He was relieved to find out that symptoms of ALD rarely showed up before the ages of 3 or 4, so this could not be the cause of his nephew's illness. However, he was intrigued to find out that this disorder was caused by a buildup of long-chain fatty acid within cells. He remembered hearing about vesicles in cells that would normally break these down and was surprised that if these vesicles did not function properly, death could result.

A) Golgi Apparatus
B) Lysosomes
C) Endoplasmic Reticulum
D) Nucleus

Answer 1

The lysosome is the cell organelle responsible for breaking down long-chain fatty acids and is implicated in the progression of disorders like Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), where its malfunctioning leads to the buildup of harmful substances in cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

The cell organelle responsible for breaking down long-chain fatty acids and other cellular debris is the lysosome. Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes and are part of the endomembrane system. Their primary function is to break down various particles such as food, damaged organelles, or cellular debris within eukaryotic cells, which is crucial for preventing the accumulation of harmful substances inside the cell. In diseases like Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and Tay-Sachs, lysosomal malfunction leads to the buildup of harmful substances, which can result in serious health issues including neurological degradation.