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  • Vacuole image from Wikimedia
  • Vacuole image from Wikimedia
  • Wikimedia
Related terms:
cytoplasmic granule
lysosome
phagocytic vesicle
transport vesicle
cytoplasmic vesicle
Cell Component
vacuole Audio
vac·u·ole [ vak-yoo-ohl ]
Subclass of:
Cytoplasmic Vesicles
Definitions related to vacuole:
  • A closed structure, found only in eukaryotic cells, that is completely surrounded by unit membrane and contains liquid material. Cells contain one or several vacuoles, that may have different functions from each other. Vacuoles have a diverse array of functions. They can act as a storage organelle for nutrients or waste products, as a degradative compartment, as a cost-effective way of increasing cell size, and as a homeostatic regulator controlling both turgor pressure and pH of the cytosol.
    Gene Ontology Dictionary
    Gene Ontology Consortium, 2021
  • Any membrane-enclosed spaces or cavities within a cell.
    NCI Thesaurus
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Any spaces or cavities within a cell. They may function in digestion, storage, secretion, or excretion.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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