VESICLES AND

VACUOLES
Presented By Herben Julian Nerpiol
VACOULES
 DISCOVERY OF VACOULES
• Contractile vacuoles were first observed by
Spallanzani (1776) in protozoa, although
mistaken for respiratory organs.
• Dujardin (1841) named these "stars" as
vacuoles.
• In 1842, Schleiden applied the term for plant
cells, to distinguish the structure with cell
sap from the rest of the protoplasm.
• In 1885, de Vries named the vacuole
STRUCTURE
OF
VACOULE
 STRUCTURE OF VACOULE
• They generally have no basic shape or size; its structure
varies according to the requirements of the cell.
• In immature and actively dividing plant cells the vacuoles
are quite small. These vacuoles arise initially in young
dividing cells, probably by the progressive fusion of
vesicles derived from the Golgi apparatus.
• A vacuole is surrounded by a membrane called the
tonoplast or vacuolar membrane and filled with cell sap.
 STRUCTURE OF VACOULE

• The tonoplast is the cytoplasmic membrane

surrounding a vacuole, separating the vacuolar
contents from the cell’s cytoplasm. As a
membrane, it is mainly involved in regulating
the movements of ions around the cell, and
isolating materials that might be harmful or a
threat to the cell
 TYPES OF VACOULES
1.Lytic vacuoles: These are plant specialized vacuoles,
function as reservoirs for ions and metabolites, including
pigments, and are crucial to processes of detoxification
and general cell homeostasis.
2.Protein storage vacuoles (PSV): Storage proteins are
deposited into protein storage vacuoles (PSVs) during
plant seed development and maturation and stably
accumulate to high levels; subsequently, during
germination the storage proteins are rapidly degraded to
provide nutrients for use by the embryo.
 TYPES OF VACOULES
3. Contractile vacuoles: Contractile vacuoles are
membrane bound organelles that are typically found among
members of kingdom Protista (algae, amoeba, and ciliates).
In these cells, the contractile vacuole is particularly
important given that it helps in osmoregulation (regulation of
osmotic pressure).
4. Food Vacuoles: A food vacuole is formed by the fusion
of a phagosome and a lysosome. The food vacuole contains
digestive enzymes with the help of which nutrients are
digested. The digested materials pass out into the
 TYPES OF VACOULES
5. Sap vacuoles: It is the large, central organelles that
occupy most part of the cell volume. This organelle contains
the fluid known as the cell sap or vacuolar sap, which
consists of such contents as water, sugars, minerals and
amino acids among others.
6. Gas vacuoles: Gas vacuoles are composed of hollow
cylindrical gas vesicles. They are typically found in bacteria
and have a permeable membrane that allows air to pass
through. Air vacuoles not only store gases but provide
buoyancy, mechanical strength and protection from harmful
radiations.
 FUNCTION
• In plants & fungi:
Vacuoles in plant and fungi cells perform more functions
than vacuoles in other types of cells. Because fungi and
plant cells don’t contain lysosomes, vacuoles in these cells
also break down more materials than they do in animal
cells.
• Maintain proper pH.
• Store water.
• Maintain turgor pressure.
• Cell growth.
• Adjust size of the cell.
 FUNCTION
In Animals:
Vacuoles perform mostly subordinate roles, assisting in larger
processes of exocytosis and endocytosis. Animal vacuoles are
smaller than their plant counterparts but also usually greater in
number. There are also animal cells that do not have any
vacuoles.
• Some of the other functions include:
 FUNCTION
• Storage - Apart from proteins, vacuoles are storage
compartments for metabolites, organic acids and sugars
among others
• Pigment deposition - Vacuoles are a site where pigments are
deposited allowing for such vegetable colors as red, blue,
scarlet etc.
VESICLES
• Cells must be able to move molecules, digest
particles, and secrete materials in order to survive.
For many cellular functions, vesicles are used.
• It is a small, spherical compartment that is
separated from the cytosol by at least one lipid
bilayer.
• Many vesicles are made in the Golgi apparatus and
the endoplasmic reticulum or are made from parts of
the cell membrane by endocytosis.
• Because vesicles are made of phospholipids,
they can break off of and fuse with other
membranous material. This allows them to
serve as small transport containers, moving
substances around the cell and to the cell
membrane.
• Examples of vesicles include secretory vesicles,
transport vesicles, synaptic vesicles, lysosomes
etc.
STRUCTURE OF
VESICLES
 TYPES OF VESICLES

• Secretory vesicles contain materials that are to be

excreted from the cell, such as wastes or hormones.
Secretory vesicles include synaptic vesicles and
vesicles in endocrine tissues.
 TYPES OF VESICLES
• Transport vesicles move molecules within the cells.
All cells make proteins and require them to function.
Proteins are made in ribosomes. When the proteins are
made, they are packaged into transport vesicles and
moved to the Golgi apparatus where they can be
modified and sorted before being sent to the final
destination of the cell.
 TYPES OF VESICLES
• Vacuoles are vesicles that contain mostly water. Plant
cells have a large central vacuole in the center of the
cell that is used for osmotic control and nutrient storage.
Contractile vacuoles are found in certain protists,
especially those in Phylum Ciliophora. These vacuoles
take water from the cytoplasm and excrete it from the
cell to avoid bursting due to osmotic pressure.
 TYPES OF VESICLES

• Lysosomes are cellular vesicles that contain digestive

enzymes. Lysosomes are used by cells to break down
food particles and to get rid of unneeded cellular
materials.
 TYPES OF VESICLES
• Peroxisomes are vesicles that use oxygen to break
down toxic substances in the cell. Unlike lysosomes,
which are formed by the Golgi apparatus, peroxisomes
self-replicate by growing bigger and then dividing. They
are common in liver and kidney cells that break down
harmful substances. Peroxisomes are named for the
hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) that is produced when they
break down organic compounds. Hydrogen peroxide is
toxic, and in turn, is broken down into water (H2O) and
oxygen (O2) molecules.
 TYPES OF VESICLES
• Vesicles store and transport materials with the cell.
Some of these materials are transported to other
organelles; other materials are secreted from the cell.
Most vesicles are involved in transporting some sort of
molecules, such as a hormone or neurotransmitter.
• Transport vesicles play a central role in the traffic of
molecules between different membrane-enclosed
compartments of the secretory pathway.
 TYPES OF VESICLES
• Since vesicles are composed of a lipid bilayer, they can
have a completely self-contained environment that is
different from the inside of the cell. Thus, vesicles also
function in metabolism and enzyme storage.
• It is involved in buoyancy control and temporary storage
of food and enzymes.
• They can also act as chemical reaction chambers.
 TYPES OF VESICLES
• Since vesicles are composed of a lipid bilayer, they can
have a completely self-contained environment that is
different from the inside of the cell. Thus, vesicles also
function in metabolism and enzyme storage.
• It is involved in buoyancy control and temporary storage
of food and enzymes.
• They can also act as chemical reaction chambers.
 TYPES OF VESICLES
• The vacuoles are responsible for isolating materials from
the cell, which may be harmful to it and also, contain
waste products within themselves. As an autophagic
vesicle, the function of this cell organelle is to ingest and
destruct any invading bacteria. It is also responsible for
maintaining the turgor pressure and the pH value of the
cell.
• Lysosomes are specialized organelles that contain
digestive enzymes that are used to break down
substances in the cell into smaller molecules.
THANK YOU
Presented By Herben Julian
Nerpiol