Functions of Vacuole
One of the most important things to learn about when studying biology is the building blocks of every organism. Every living thing has these building blocks, but some are more advanced than others. Some building blocks are also more important than others. These building blocks are known as cells.
Animals and plants are both made of cells, that help the organism work properly. Each cell has different parts all responsible for different little jobs inside the cell. One of these is a vacuole. What does the vacuole do is a question, and here is the answer.
The first time scientists discovered vacuoles was in 1700s but they thought of them as breathing organs. A century later a term 'vacuole' was born. It might seem like an insignificant discovery, but it gave biologists a better understanding about the structure of cells and the work they do. No longer considered respiratory organs or called 'stars', vacuoles claimed their rightful place in the cell structure.
Food and Water for Survival
To put it simply - vacuoles are little storage pockets inside the cells. They store nutrients that helps the cell to survive. They exist in plants, fungi and also in animal cells. There are vacuoles in the cells of bacteria and even protists (organisms that are not animals, plants or fungi). Since they are little pockets, vacuoles are sealed tight and have liquid inside of them.
Water that has organic and inorganic particles, such as enzymes. Sometimes they can contain solid mass that has been absorbed by the vacuole. The little pockets are created of several membrane structures through the transport of materials to and from the cell. The organelle - vacuole in this case, doesn't have a set shape, since it depends on the way the cell itself is shaped.
A vacuole can have different functions depending on the type of cell it lives in. Plants and fungi have an upper hand where vacuole presence is concerned.
In general terms vacuoles are responsible for:
- Storing water in plant cells
- Storing waste products so they don't harm the cell
- Sending unnecessary substances out of the cell itself
- Separation and isolation of harmful materials
- Making sure the pH level stays acidic
However, there are other responsibilities a vacuole has depending on the cell. For example, in seeds, the vacuoles change so they can keep the protein needed for a successful germination of the seed.
Vacuoles works as scaffolding for leaves and flowers in plants. Without these little pockets the plants would look very different, and would not have the structure we know and recognize.
Animals Vs. Plants
Animal cells although similar, have differences in their structure and the work they accomplish. Vacuoles take a secondary role and mainly support larger processes.
It simply means that the process we know as digestion happens at a cell level and not just on the bigger scale. Both solid foods (through phagocytosis or cell eating) and liquid food groups (through pinocytosis or cell drinking) get absorbed by the cell which then breaks the food down.
The vacuoles are smaller in animal cells, but there are more of them. Some cells lack vacuoles altogether but it's just their design. Animal cells also have food vacuoles that contain enzymes for breaking down different food groups.
Other Notable Processes
Since vacuoles are responsible for storage, it is important to mention two processes that happen inside the cell. These processes are similar for plants and animals but in animals the processes are more complex.
Exocytosis pushes the lipids and proteins from the cell itself. These lipids and proteins are then absorbed by other parts of the body. It means the cell also helps the transportation of the different nutrients as well as the waste that is now broken down and can then be excreted out of the body.
The other process is endocytosis (taking in of matter) and it is the opposite of exocytosis (transporting matter out). Bacteria, dead tissue or other materials collide with the cell walls and the cell then absorbs them This way the material inside the cell breaks down slowly and doesn't harm the cell or the organism itself.
Side Note - Salmonella
Even though cells are pretty good at protecting the organisms, some pathogens evolve over time. Salmonella is one of these crafty little bacteria that can survive inside a vacuole despite its best efforts. It causes illness in humans, and can also be devastating to domestic animal farmers. The bacteria acquires genetic elements or simply - knowledge and understanding from different sources, and uses them to survive and adapt. This way whatever means the cell uses to protect itself fail. It's like fighting fire with fire.
Salmonella is treated with medication in both humans and animals. For people one of the most important things is making sure the body is hydrated enough, and if the case is severe - there might be a call for a hospital stay. A dose of antibiotics is the administered as well as a course of anti-diarrhoea medication.
