BRAINCAKEPermanent Vacuole
Most mature plant cells contain a single large permanent vacuole, which may take up most of the volume of the cell. The cytoplasm is pushed into a thin layer between the vacuole and the cell wall.
Structure
The vacuole is surrounded by a single, partially permeable membrane called the tonoplast. The tonoplast contains transport proteins that control which substances move between the cytoplasm and the vacuole.
The vacuole is filled with cell sap, a watery solution of sugars, mineral ions (such as K+), amino acids, pigments and waste products.
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Key terms in this lesson
- water potential
- A measure of the tendency of water molecules to move out of a solution; water moves from a higher to a lower (more negative) water potential.
- anthocyanin
- A water-soluble pigment stored in the cell sap of plant vacuoles, giving red, blue or purple colours to petals and fruits.
More in Eukaryotic Cells
- Lysosomes
- Plant Cells
- Plant Cell Walls
- Plasmodesmata
- Chloroplasts
- Organisation of Cells
- Epithelial Cells
- Organ Systems
All 30 lessons in Eukaryotic Cells · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics