Vacuoles are found floating in the cytoplasm of plant and animal cells.
The main functions of vacuoles are:
-water storage
-digestion
-getting rid of cellular waste
In most plant cells you would find one large vacuole. Animal cells may have smaller vacuoles or may not have vacuoles at all. In plants vacuoles play an additional role. When a plants vacuole is full of water it helps the cells become more rigid and therefore the plant as a whole is more rigid. If you have ever forgotten to water your plants you will notice the leaves wilt. This is because the vacuoles are empty and therefore there is less rigidity in the plant.
