lysosome By Ivan Suarez Robles 10 Nov, 2010 An organelle that acts as the “garbage disposal” of the cell by breaking down cell components that are no longer needed as well as molecules or even bacteria that are ingested by the cell.Related Articles: Interview with Dr. Ron Kopito and Dr. Brigit Riley at Stanford UniversityAbout Autophagy RapamycinGlossary: autophagosome