What happens inside a peroxisome

Inside a peroxisome, various oxidative enzymes carry out metabolic processes such as beta-oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids, which are shortened into medium-chain fatty acids usable by mitochondria. Concurrently, oxidases generate hydrogen peroxide as a byproduct, which catalase then decomposes into water and oxygen, preventing oxidative stress. Additionally, peroxisomes participate in biosynthetic pathways like plasmalogen production, crucial for nerve tissue, and detoxification of harmful compounds such as alcohols and formaldehyde.