Vacuoles By: Dante DeAngelo

Structure

There's a membrane that surrounds a mass fluid.

Vacuoles are larger in plant cells than animal cells.

The cell is the basic unit of life. Plant cells (unlike animal cells) are surrounded by a thick, rigid cell wall.

Construction

Vacuoles are organelles found in cells. They store various substances essential to the life of the cell. They also store waste to later remove from the cell.

Purpose

Vacuoles, like vacuums remove harmful waste to the cell. They store water and essential nutrients for later use. For this reason, they are called “storage bubbles”.

Plant Cells

Vacuoles make up about 80% of the volume of a full grown plant cell.

They are more important in plant cells than any other types of cells.

They are surrounded by a membrane called a tonoplast. They store water and food for the plants to use for

other processes. They store waste products of the cell. They are called central vacuoles because their function

is vital to the plant’s survival and because they are so large

When central vacuoles lack water, the plant droops Vacuoles push cytoplasm toward the cell membrane,

exposing chloroplasts to light

Fungi Cells

Fungal cell vacuoles perform many functions, similar to plant cell vacuoles

They help remove waste product from the rest of the cell

They help maintain the cell’s pH levels so that it can function optimally

Can have multiple vacuoles

Stores amino acids

Animal Cells

Misconception: Some people, to make things simple, say that animal cells do have vacuoles but animal cells do not have vacuoles. Instead, they contain vacuole-like organelles called vesicles

Vesicles: similar function as vacuoles but much smaller than a plant’s central vacuole

Vesicles perform 2 important functions:

Exocytosis: disposal of solids and liquids such as proteins, lipids and bacteria out of cells

Endocytosis: taking solids and liquids such as proteins, lipids and bacteria into cells

One cell can have multiple vesicles

Vacuole Disease: Nasal Parakeratosis Mostly found in Labrador Retrievers

between the age of 6 months to 2 years.

Genetic disorder causes the dogs nose to dry out, especially on the dorsal surface.

Causes the dogs nose to bleed and change color but it can be treated with Vaseline, propylene glycol or salicylic acid.

Contractile Vacuoles

Found in protists Appear to have spokes and a hub

Spokes collect excess water Hubs dispose of water (releases it to the

outside of the cell) Necessary in fresh water protests so that they do

not burst Osmoregulation- maintains osmotic equilibrium Expand and contract as they take in and release

liquid In amoebas vacuoles move as the amoeba moves In Ciliates vacuoles have a definite path in the cell In Euglena and other flagellates vacuoles remain stationary

Conclusion

Vacuoles are vital in plant cells They make up an extremely large part of the plant

cell- up to 80 percent They help remove waste from the cell Vacuoles are also important for storage in cells Animal cells have vesicles, not vacuoles but they

perform similar functions

Works Cited

1. http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/plants/vacuole.html2. http://www.vacuumreviewer.com/hoover-vacuum-clean

ers/3. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/vacuole-function.html4. http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_vacuole.html5. http://www.chem1.com/acad/sci/aboutwater.html6. http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Turgor_pressur

e7. http://student.ccbcmd.edu/courses/bio141/lecguide/uni

t3/eustruct/lyso.html8.  

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/135337/contractile-vacuole

9. http://www.linkpublishing.com/video-transport.htm10.http://ploegerchiropractic.com/blog/page/2/11.http://www.itteringham.com/nature.html12.http://botany.thismia.com/2010/02/