Plant cells tend to possess a large central vacuole. Plant cell with central vacuole usually takes up a large volume of the cell (commonly 30-55%, sometimes even 90-95% of cell volume). They provide support to the cell and eventually to the plant part that the cells constitute. Additionally, plant vacuoles also house a variety of molecules like secondary metabolites, pigment molecules, etc. The central vacuole of plant cells also houses a number of degradative enzymes. Another interesting point to note is that the constitution of plant cells changes during the seasons as plants can’t move (i.e. they are stationary). In the same line of thought, scientists have noted many plant cells change the organization of their vacuoles across the seasons. For example, the vascular cambium cells tend to possess a large number of small vacuoles in the winter season while all of them fuse to form one large central vacuole as the summer season arrives.
Fungal cells
The vacuolar structure of fungal cells is usually more similar to that of animal cells. But the functions that vacuoles of fungal cells perform are similar to that of plant cells as both fungal cells and plant cells lack lysosomes. Some of the essential functions performed by the vacuoles of the yeast cells (a type of fungi) are:
Homeostasis of cell pH
Enrichment and concentration of ions
Osmoregulation
Storage of amino acids and polyphosphates
Degradation processes.
Storage of toxic ions like strontium (Sr2+), lead(II) (Pb2+)
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