Microbodies are a diverse group of organelles that are found in the cytoplasm, roughly spherical and bound by a single membrane. There are several types of microbodies but peroxisomes are the most common.
Peroxisomes function to rid the cell of toxic substances, in particular, hydrogen peroxide -- a common byproduct of cellular metabolism. These organelles contain enzymes that convert the hydrogen peroxide to water, rendering the potentially toxic substance safe for release back into the cell. Some types of peroxisomes, such as those in liver cells, detoxify alcohol and other harmful compounds by transferring hydrogen from the poisons to molecules of oxygen.
Peroxisomes are similar in appearance to lysosomes, another type of microbody, but the two have very different origins. Lysosomes are formed in the Golgi complex while peroxisomes are self-replicating. Unlike mitochondria, however, peroxisomes and lysosomes do not have their own internal DNA molecules.
Except for mature red blood cells, all human cells have peroxisomes. Since the early 1980s, a number of metabolic disorders have been found to be caused by molecular defects in the peroxisomes. Two major categories have been described so far. The first category is Disorders of Peroxisome Biogenesis (PBD) in which the organelle fails to develop normally, causing defects in numerous peroxisomal proteins. The second category includes involves defects of single peroxisomal enzymes. At present, there are no treatments for these genetic disorders, save for genetic counseling.
Information provided by: http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu