A child dies following a series of chronic bacterial infections. At the autopsy, the physicians are startled to see that the child's white blood cells are loaded with vacuoles containing intact bacteria. Which of the following explanations could account for this finding?
A) A defect in the Golgi apparatus prevented the cells from processing and excreting the bacteria.
B) A defect in the rough endoplasmic reticulum prevented the synthesis of the antibodies (defensive proteins) that would have inactivated the bacteria.
C) A defect in the cell walls of the white blood cells permitted bacteria to enter the cells.
D) A defect in the lysosomes of the white blood cells prevented the cells from destroying engulfed bacteria.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of vacuoles containing intact bacteria inside the white blood cells indicates that these cells did not successfully destroy the engulfed bacteria. This suggests a defect in the lysosomes, which are responsible for breaking down and digesting pathogens. Therefore, the best choice is D, which describes a defect in the lysosomes.

A Child Dies Following a Series of Chronic Bacterial Infections