Vacuoles
Definition
Vacuoles are membrane-bound sacs within the cytoplasm of a cell that function in several different ways including isolating materials that might be harmful or storing waste products.
Analogy
Imagine vacuoles as storage units inside your house where you keep things you don't need right now but may use later. They can also be thought as trash cans where you throw away stuff not needed anymore.
Related terms
Lysosomes: Organelles that contain digestive enzymes. They digest excess or worn-out organelles, food particles, and engulfed viruses or bacteria.
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER): A network within the cell that aids in protein synthesis and lipid metabolism; also involved with transporting proteins to Golgi apparatus.
Golgi Apparatus: An organelle responsible for packaging proteins into vesicles prior to secretion; it acts like a post office, sorting and shipping proteins to their correct locations.
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