Lysosomes are described by which statement?

• A. They form by budding from mitochondria.
• B. They do not contain digestive enzymes.
• C. They originate in the endoplasmic reticulum but enzymes are activated in the Golgi.
• D. They are the primary site of ATP production.

Answer: (C)

Lysosome enzyme targeting and maturation within the endomembrane system.

Lysosomal enzymes are made in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and then travel to the Golgi apparatus, where they are processed and tagged with a mannose-6-phosphate signal. This tag directs them into vesicles that are delivered to endosomes and ultimately become lysosomes. The enzymes are activated in the lysosome's acidic environment, not in the Golgi, but the Golgi step is critical for proper processing and targeting. So stating that these enzymes originate in the ER and are activated after Golgi processing captures the essential path of lysosome biogenesis and enzyme delivery. The other options conflict with basic facts: lysosomes do contain digestive enzymes, they do not originate from mitochondria, and the primary site of ATP production is mitochondria.