You might be surprised to learn that the structural biology of animals, humans, and plants are surprisingly similar. Often, the structure of cells is shockingly similar. Just how similar are they? Do plants also have vesicles? Find out here.
What Are Vesicles?
Vesicles are small sacs that can occur on the top layer of skin on a human or another organism. Essentially, they are a form of blister. These thin-walled structures are loaded with fluids.
These fluids are often yellow or white in color, though they can also be tinted with blood. This gives them an appearance that is akin to a bubble.
These sacs can break with relative ease. Bigger vesicles are more likely to break due to their size. You might experience some pain and discomfort when the vesicle bursts.
If you have a vesicle, you will likely experience the following symptoms:
- Tender feeling in the area
- A painful sensation
- Sensitivity
If your vesicle is caused by a health problem, you will have other symptoms alongside it, such as a fever.
What Causes Vesicles?
These structures develop when fluid is stuck underneath the first layer of skin. This can happen due to a range of different health conditions, ranging considerably in severity.
Vesicles can be caused by less severe ailments, such as skin allergies or rashes.
On the other hand, they can also develop after some more serious health problems, including chickenpox, shingles, and herpes.
If you are unsure of what has caused this issue, then you should seek an examination from a doctor. This is because it could be a sign of an underlying health condition, which could require treatment.
Do Plant Cells Have Vesicles?
Yes! Though this may sound shocking, plants are also capable of developing vesicles. They share this trait with humans and animals.
As you may have guessed, they are rather different from the ones that humans develop.
Of course, plant vesicles are not formed from skin. They feature a membrane, which features proteins and lipids. There are lots of different varieties of plant vesicles, each with its own functions.
Different Types of Plant Vesicles
Among the different forms of plant vesicles are:
Vacuoles
Vacuoles are larger than the average vesicles, measuring at least 30% of the cell’s volume. These enclosed cells are filled with water. Aside from this, vacuoles also contain nutrients.
The vacuoles perform an important role for the plant. For instance, they can store water and waste products. The storage of water is believed to be their primary function.
They also contain materials that could prove potentially fatal to the cell, thus protecting the plant on a cellular level. They also keep these unwanted materials away from the cell.
Within this subsection of vesicles, there are different types of vacuoles. These are central, contractile, food, and gas.
Secretory Vesicles
These vesicles are made of materials that the cell excretes. For instance, the cell may choose to excrete unused materials. This is done to limit waste in the plant cell.
Secretory vesicles help move materials, such as hormones, from the organelles to the membrane. This allows the materials to stay within the cell walls. There are a few different variations of secretory vesicles.
Transporter Vesicles
As indicated by the name, transporter vesicles play an important role in moving molecules in the cells. This allows the molecules, mainly proteins, to be transported from one part of the cell to another.
Once these proteins have been transported, they can then be refined and used elsewhere. For instance, they might be taken to the Golgi apparatus. This is an organelle that transports materials via cells.
Lysosomes
Lysosomes are present in a variety of different multicellular organisms, such as plants and animals. However, they are much more commonly found in animal cells than in those of plants.
Lysosomes play an important role in digestion. The lysosomes will break down materials and help initiate the death of cells.
Peroxisomes
Peroxisomes are membranes filled with organelles and enzymes. They have the responsibility of degrading nutrients, such as fatty acids. Peroxisomes also support metabolism in plant and animal cells.
Moreover, peroxisomes also have a vital role in detoxification. This means that if a plant cell becomes infected with a toxic material, the peroxisomes can remove these harmful materials.
This allows the cells to continue surviving despite having been infected.
How Can You Treat Vesicles?
While plant vesicles will not require treatment, ones that appear on human skin will need to be treated. The best way of having these vesicles treated is to visit a doctor. They will be able to diagnose the problem and find its cause.
To determine this, your doctor will likely need to ask a variety of questions pertaining to your health, such as if you have been experiencing other symptoms.
They will also need to do a physical examination of the skin, allowing them to determine the severity of the issue.
The type of treatment that you receive will be reliant on the cause of the vesicle.
If you visit a drugstore or pharmacist, you can get some over-the-counter medication to treat some vesicles, mainly those formed by allergic reactions. Ointments and antihistamines are commonly used for this treatment.
If the vesicle is the result of a bacterial infection, your doctor may prescribe you antibiotics. This course of treatment is designed to remove the infection and prevent it from worsening without aggravating the vesicles.
These are normally administered orally.
To prevent the vesicle from bursting, you might want to wrap a loose-fitting bandage around it. You should also aim to keep the area as clean as possible.
This can be done with water and soap. Be careful not to be aggressive with your cleaning. Instead, a gentle hand is required to limit the chances of bursting the vesicle.
The reason why we do not recommend intentionally bursting the vesicle is that the area can become infected, which will cause further health problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Plants Have Mitochondria?
Mitochondria perform a vital role in human cells, providing enough energy for them. This allows them to convert food into energy, which is then used by the human body.
There are thousands of mitochondria in human cells. The mitochondria are also found in the cells of plants and animals, performing a similar function as it does in the human body.
Do Plants Feel Pain?
Though research has been inconclusive, it seems unlikely that plants can feel pain. Unlike humans and animals, they lack nervous systems.
Therefore, you can continue to eat fruits and vegetables without fearing that you are causing them harm.
Do Human Cells Have Chloroplasts?
Chloroplasts are an essential part of a plant’s cell, which allows it to participate in photosynthesis. This means that it can convert sunlight into energy.
However, human cells do not feature chloroplasts. After all, humans do not undergo photosynthesis and absorb energy from other sources.
Final Thoughts
The cellular similarities between humans and plants are truly amazing. As you can see, both possess vesicles.
Though they have different structures, it is nonetheless fascinating to examine how similar the human body’s functions are to those of plant life.
With any luck, this guide will have helped you to better understand the cellular biology of plants.
Ever since I was a little girl, I have been fascinated by science. Every holiday I would ask for the newest science kit, and spend weeks learning with it.
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