Large Vacuole
Subtitle
Functions
The large vacuole plays a very important role for storage. It stores food or any nutrients a cell needs to survive. They also store waste products and are responsible for disposing waste products. The plant may use the vacuole to store water.
Structure
Vacuoles are membrane bound sacs in the cytoplasm. In the plant cell, they are large and are very important in providing structural support. Vacuoles gain and lose water. If a plant is wilted, its vacuoles are shrinking. However the plant can become healthy again when the vacuoles find a new source of water.
What Would Happen if the Vacuole was missing
If the vacuole was missing, the plant would be unable to store water and eventually wilt and die. It would not be able to transport waste and protect the cell.
7 interesting facts
- it can be found in both plant and animal cells
- not all animal cells have a large vacuole
- it takes up about 80% of the cell
- the central vacuole is enclosed by a membrane
- the vacuole store any nutrients that is needed to support the plant
- stores waste to protect the plant
- can also be found in fungi and bacteria
Where the Vacuole is Found
The vacuole is in both plant and animal cells. The vacuole is smaller in the animal cell than it is in the plant cell. In plants, vacuoles can be found throughout the cytoplasm and the are in the central region. They are spaces between the cell membrane, nucleus, and other large organelles. In animal cells, they are located throughout the center.