Vacuoles
By: Dante DeAngelo
Structure
There's a
membrane
that
surrounds a
mass fluid.
The cell is the basic unit of life.
Plant cells (unlike animal cells)
are surrounded by a thick, rigid
cell wall.
Vacuoles
are larger
in plant
cells than
animal
cells.
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
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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
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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
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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
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Vesicles: similar function as vacuoles but much smaller than
a plant’s central vacuole
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Vesicles perform 2 important functions:
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Exocytosis: disposal of solids and liquids such as
proteins, lipids and bacteria out of cells
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Endocytosis: taking solids and liquids such as proteins,
lipids and bacteria into cells
One cell can have multiple vesicles
Vacuole Disease: Nasal
Parakeratosis
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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
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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 cellup 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
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Works Cited
1. http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/plants/vacuole.html
2. http://www.vacuumreviewer.com/hoover-vacuumcleaners/
3. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/vacuole-function.html
4. http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_vacuole.html
5. http://www.chem1.com/acad/sci/aboutwater.html
6. http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Turgor_pressure
7. http://student.ccbcmd.edu/courses/bio141/lecguide/unit3
/eustruct/lyso.html
8. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/135337/cont
ractile-vacuole
9. http://www.linkpublishing.com/video-transport.htm
10.http://ploegerchiropractic.com/blog/page/2/
11.http://www.itteringham.com/nature.html
12.http://botany.thismia.com/2010/02/