Battle of the Organelles: The Amazing Vacuole

Vote Vacuole!

Hello fellow organelles! I am the vacuole, and I want to claim the title of being "The Most Important Organelle in the Cell". This has been a dream of mine since 1841 when Felix Dujardin first discovered me under a compound microscope while observing a plant cell. He named me "vacuole" which comes from the Latin word "vacuus" which means "empty". He named me this because he believed that I was an empty space inside the cell. Little did he know how untrue this was, because the truth is, I`m not empty. In fact, I play a very important role in helping the cell to function along with many other huge contributions that affect the real world.

Who I AM

A VERY Simple Metaphor of How A Vacuole Works

-I am enclosed in membrane termed "tonoplast" which controls what materials enter into me and what exits out of me.
- The solution inside of me named "cell sap", is very different from the surrounding cytoplasm because I store certain materials inside of me that cannot be found in the cytoplasm. In this way, I am like a storage unit for the cell that contains all the extra materials that the cell is not presently using and release them when they are required. Although this is one of my main jobs as a vacuole, this is not the only function I am required to do.

My Role in the Cell

I come in many shapes, sizes, numbers, and forms, and my functions vary depending on what type of cell I`m in but if you vote for me, I promise that I will:

Store and dispose waste

Provide protection to the cell

Help cell growth

Store water and other important salts, minerals, proteins, and pigments

Provide support to plant structure

Isolate materials that are harmful or threatening to the cell.

Maintain internal fluid pressure/ turgor

Maintain acidic internal pH

Export unwanted substance

Help cell degradation of unnecessary or dysfunctional cell components (autophagy)

And Much More!

Left: Plant Cell- large "Central Vacuole"- in a mature plant cell, vacuole can occupy
over 80% of cell.

Lower Right: Animal Cell- smaller than plant cell vacuole

-usually more than one vacuole with jobs divided between the vacuoles.

* Vacuoles also present in all fungal cells and some protest and bactorial cells*

Why I Am Important

-Some plant cell vacuoles contain pigments that give flowers their colour which help attract bees and other pollinators. This is important because without bright colours to attract pollinators, pollination could be slowed which would decrease plant reproduction. This would result in a disruption in the food chain on which all life relies on.

-Plant cell vacuoles release molecules that are poisonous or unpleasant to various pests which discourages plant consumption. These molecules act like a natural pesticide which supports plant growth and aids in balancing a healthy ecosystem.

-Plant cell vacuoles control water turgor which keeps plant`s stems and leaves firm. Without this water pressure, plants would become limp and unhealthy which could result in poor fruit production or even death of the plant.