A vacuole is an organelle commonly found in plant cells and some animal cells. It is a typical feature of eukaryotic cells. A vacuole is a membrane bound organelle and can be a major component of a plant cell. There is (generally) one very large vacuole in a plant cell. In comparison, animal cells may contain a number of smaller vacuoles.
Vacuoles serve a number of purposes in a eukaryotic cell. They can be used for the storage of nutrients, minerals, proteins, etc. for later use by the cell. Vacuoles can also be used for storage of waste materials that are not required or are harmful to the cell. These materials are then discarded from the cell. One key function of vacuoles in plant cells is structural support. The central vacuole can take up as much as 90% of the cell volume, providing structural support.
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