cut. Vacuoles in fungal cells perform similar functions to those in plants and there can be more than one vacuole per cell. In yeast cells the vacuole (Vac7) is a dynamic structure that can rapidly modify its morphology. They are involved in many processes including the homeostasis of cell pH and the concentration of ions, osmoregulation, storing amino acids and polyphosphate and degradative processes. Toxic ions, such as strontium (), cobalt(II) (), and lead(II) () are transported into the vacuole to isolate them from the rest of the cell. Contractile vacuoles Contractile Vacuoles is a specialized osmoregulatory organelle that is present in many free-living protists. The contractile vacuole is part of the contractile vacuole complex which includes radial arms and a spongiome. The contractile vacuole complex works periodically contracts to remove excess water and ions from the cell to balance water flow into the cell. When the contractile vacuole is slowly taking water in, the contractile vacuole enlarges, this is called diastole and when it reaches its threshold, the central vacuole contracts then contracts (systole) periodically to release water. Food vacuoles Food vacuoles (also called digestive vacuole) are organelles found in Ciliates, and Plasmodium falciparum, a protozoan parasite that causes Malaria. Histopathology In histopathology, vacuolization is the formation of vacuoles or vacuole-like structures, within or adjacent to cells. It is an unspecific sign of disease. References External links Vesicles Plant anatomy Cell anatomy