Q1. Give an account of vacuoles and their functions.
- Vacuoles are large, tonoplast-bound organelles storing cell sap in plant cells.
- They maintain turgor pressure, providing cell rigidity and supporting plant growth.
- Vacuoles store water, essential ions, sugars, amino acids, and secondary metabolites.
- They sequester metabolic wastes and toxic compounds for cellular detoxification.
Answer: Vacuoles are prominent, dynamic membrane-bound organelles found predominantly in plant cells, often occupying a significant portion, sometimes up to 90%, of the cell volume. They are enclosed by a single membrane called the tonoplast, which is selectively permeable and actively transports ions and solutes. The interior of the vacuole is filled with a watery solution known as cell sap, containing various dissolved substances. One of the primary functions of the vacuole is maintaining **turgor pr...