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Most mature plant cells have a ________ that helps to maintain the turgidity of the cell and store important substances including wastes.
small ribosome
large central vacuole
leucoplasts
chromoplasts
large central vacuole
Most mature plant cells contain a large central vacuole that occupies a significant portion of the cytoplasm. This organelle is essential for maintaining the turgor pressure of the cell and serves as a storage site for nutrients, metabolites, and waste products.
Most mature plant cells contain a large central vacuole that occupies a significant portion of the cytoplasm. This organelle is essential for maintaining the turgor pressure of the cell and serves as a storage site for nutrients, metabolites, and waste products.
Think of the large central vacuole like a water-filled balloon inside a rigid cardboard box; the water pressure keeps the balloon firm and pushes it against the walls, just as turgor pressure keeps a plant leaf stiff and upright.
TV: Turgidity-Vacuole (Large storage for Turgor).
╬иwтАЛ=╬иsтАЛ+╬иpтАЛ тАФ where ╬иwтАЛ is water potential, ╬иsтАЛ is solute potential, and ╬иpтАЛ is pressure potential (turgor pressure).
The large central vacuole is surrounded by a specialized membrane called the tonoplast, which uses active transport to accumulate solutes inside the vacuole. This creates a high osmotic pressure, causing water to enter the cell by osmosis. The resulting internal pressure, known as turgor pressure, pushes the plasma membrane against the rigid cell wall, providing structural support to the plant.
The central vacuole can occupy up to 90% of the volume in a mature plant cell.
The membrane of the vacuole is known as the tonoplast.
Turgidity is crucial for preventing wilting in non-woody plants.
Vacuoles also store pigments like anthocyanins, which give color to flowers.
Provides structural support to the plant cell without requiring extra energy-intensive skeletal tissue.
Allows cells to grow larger with minimal increase in cytoplasm.
Provides an efficient storage and waste disposal mechanism.
High turgor pressure can lead to cell lysis if the cell wall is weak, though this is rare in plant cells.
Requires constant osmotic regulation to prevent cell damage.
Maintenance of upright posture in herbaceous plants.
Sequestration of toxic compounds to protect the cytoplasm.
Ribosomes (Option A) are sites of protein synthesis.
Leucoplasts (Option C) are colorless plastids primarily used for storage of starch, oils, or proteins.
Chromoplasts (Option D) are colored plastids containing pigments like carotenoids, giving colors to fruits and flowers.
B is correct тАФ the large central vacuole is the key organelle responsible for maintaining turgor pressure and storing metabolic substances in mature plant cells.
Always remember that plant cells are identified by the presence of a cell wall, large central vacuole, and plastids, which distinguish them from animal cells.