Vesicles are small membrane-bound sacs within eukaryotic cells that transport, store, or digest cellular products and waste. They play a crucial role in processes such as metabolism, transport, buoyancy control, and enzyme storage.
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Vesicles can form naturally during processes like secretion, uptake (endocytosis), and transport of materials within the cytoplasm.
Types of vesicles include lysosomes, which contain digestive enzymes; peroxisomes, involved in lipid metabolism and detoxification; and transport vesicles that move molecules between locations inside the cell.
The formation of vesicles involves the cell membrane pinching off to enclose substances in a bubble-like structure.
Vesicles are essential for transporting proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus and then to their final destinations.
Exocytosis is a process where vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane to release their contents outside the cell.
Review Questions
What are two main functions of vesicles within eukaryotic cells?
Name three types of vesicles and briefly describe their roles.
How do vesicles contribute to the process of exocytosis?