One reason animal cells don't need a central vacuole is because they often have smaller vacuoles for storage. What is another reason animal cells don't need central vacuoles?

1 answer

Another reason animal cells don't need central vacuoles is because they have other specialized organelles that perform similar functions. For example, animal cells have lysosomes, which are membrane-bound organelles that contain enzymes responsible for breaking down waste materials and cellular debris. These lysosomes serve a similar function to a central vacuole in plant cells, as they help in the storage and degradation of unwanted substances. Therefore, the absence of a central vacuole in animal cells is compensated by the presence of other organelles with similar functions.