Biology Forums - Study Force

Hey, guys!

I have a lab practical tomorrow. I am looking at questions on my study guide and one of them is: which organelle is responsible for the effect seen after plasmolysis?

Is it actually cell membrane that moves away? I know that it collapses around the organelles, but is that the organelle actually responsible for plasmolysis effect in general?

Thanks so much! 

Can't think of any. A plant cell immersed into a a hypertonic solution will plasmolyse. The cell wall will not prevent this ; and certainly not the cell membrane.
A leaf's waxy cuticle may protect the upper epidermal cells, however, that's not an organelle. And besides, why would a leaf be exposed to hypertonicity ?
Some unicellular organisms form a cyst (a glycoprotein) in harsh environmental conditions.But, not sure that a protective covering is considered an organelle.
Hope someone else comes up with a better answer. If they do , I'll learn something too.

Plasmolysis is the process in which cells lose water in a hypertonic solution.

I'd say the plants vacuole, it stores water and boosts rigidity.

Thanks for the responses, guys!

Here's what happened. A few weeks ago we had an experiment in lab in which we were observing plasmolysis in Elodea cells by putting it into 10% NaCl.

Plasmolysis happens basically when the water from the central vacuole exits the cell via osmosis. And that's when we actually placed it in the hypertonic solution.

The definition in my lab manual says: "The exiting of water causes the cell membrane to move away from the cell and collapse around the organelles". That's why I got a little confused here, having no idea if it's the vacuole or the cell membrane responsible for the effect seen after plasmolysis.
 

The premise here is that the cell membrane acts a skin, while the cell wall is the shell, sort of like in a chicken's egg, where if you crack it, the skin tears away from the solid shell (in this case water causes it to separate).

Got it, thank you! Do you think that the vacuole is the main organelle responsible for it here? The cell membrane is not really an organelle, I worded it all wrong. I guess the word "organelle" itself is a big hint here.  

I wish I could tell you definitively :-\

The question is worded poorly: Which organelle is responsible for the effect seen after plasmolysis?

My gut says that it's the emptying of the vacuole.

YES fellas

The plasmolytic process is mainly driven by the vacuole.

Yes, the question is word horribly. It was a question I got on a study guide sheet from my professor. I will stick with the vacuole! Thanks so much. :)

Post Merge: 9 years ago

That is awesome! Thanks. :)

@psyche360 That makes two of us then, you weren't so definitive in your first post.