Download Vacuoles

Vacuoles
By Breelyn Johnson-Fite
What are vacuoles?
Vacuole: cytoplasmic
membrane surrounding
the vacuole
Membrane surrounding
vacuole is called the
tonoplast.
Water channels of the
tonoplast help maintain
cell tonicity.
Vacuoles
Functions
• Stores waste products so the
rest of the cell is protected
from contamination
• Stores enzymes that break
down macromolecules and
detoxifying foreign
substances
• Slowly breaks down waste
products into small pieces
that cannot hurt the cell
• Holds quantities of water or
food
Types of Vacuoles
Different vacuoles types can be found in different cells
• Some fungi and protists
Specialized, depending on the needs of the cell
Types
• Central vacuole: helps maintain plants' shape and structure by
storing water.
• Food vacuole: storage for molecules that is a food source for the
cell (protozoans)
• Contractile vacuole: found in some protists, can pump water and
used to maintain water balance ( in many microorganisms)
• Others: storage or split toxic materials from the cytoplasm
Types of Vacuoles
Where are vacuoles found?
Fungi
Protist
(Some of them)
Fungi Vacuoles
Functions
•
•
•
•
Similar to that in plant cells
There can be multiple vacuoles
Maintaining the right pH level
Help in maintain an acidic internal pH in cells
Protist Vacuole
Have both food
and contractile
vacuoles.
Where are vacuoles found?
Plant Cell
Animal Cell
(absent sometimes)
Plant Vacuoles
Has one large central vacuole
taking up 30%-90% of cell
volume
Larger in plant cells
Plant Vacuoles
Help Give
Structure
• Vacuoles plays an important role in
plant structure.
• The cell grows by expanding the
central vacuole.
• Depending on how much water is
present the size of that cell may still
increase or decrease.
• Most of a plant cell's volume depends
on the material in vacuoles.
• Can expand in size to increase the
tonicity.
Animal Vacuoles
Much smaller than
plant cells
One or more small
vacuoles
Animal Vacuoles
Their Job
• Get rid of waste and extra water
Disease Association
Vacuolar Myopathy
• Occurs when many
abnormal vacuoles develop
in the muscle cells.
• There are several types of
vacuolar myopathy.
• They stop the muscles from
working properly.
• Can cause weakness and
difficulty moving and
breathing.
Disease Association
• The most affected muscles are legs and arms, heart or chest muscles
may also be affected.
• The severity and worsening of muscle weakness, depends on the
type.