VMC 221: Veterinary Immunology and Serology (1+1)

LYSOSOMAL AND OTHER PROTEOLYTIC ENZYMES

• As soon as a foreign particle is attached to the neutrophil membrane, the primary granules (or lysozymes) from the cytoplasm migrate and fuse with phagosome to form phagolysosome.
• The enzymes in the primary granules digest the bacterial cell wall and kill microbes.
• Lysosomal enzymes contain a mixture of proteases (e.g. elastase), lipases and many carbohydrate destroying enzymes and enzymes that act on nucleic acids.