Why don't plant cells have lysosomes?

Lysosomes usually digest macro-molecules that somehow get through the plasma membrane. macro-molecules are also called as "big" molecules or foreign matter, like bacteria or non-functional organelles. plant cells don't really have that problem, because the plant cells have cell walls. read more

Lysosomes usually digest macro-molecules that somehow get through the plasma membrane. macro-molecules are also called as "big" molecules or foreign matter, like bacteria or non-functional organelles. plant cells don't really have that problem, because the plant cells have cell walls. the cell walls is pretty secure and keeps a lot of junk out. lysosomes also participate in apoptosis, which is also called cell death for animal cells only. read more

So you could think of them as the plant's 'lysosome'. Plant vacuoles do have other functions, though, including water storage and maintaining hydrostatic pressure in the cell, and tend to be significantly larger. read more