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Contractile Vacuoles?

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Contractile Vacuoles?

Postby Funkfruit » Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:21 am

Why don't human body cells have contractile vacuoles?
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Postby MrMistery » Tue Dec 02, 2008 8:49 pm

Because they don't need them. And they were lost in the course the evolution way before humans appeared anyway...
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Postby JorgeLobo » Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:26 pm

You can't say "why." That presumes a "reason" exists. But consider what contractile vacuoles do - they effect osmoregulation in siolated cells such as those of paramecia. With very very few exceptions, human cels are organized - not isolated. Osmoregulation is matained by the organization - not by indivudal cells. So as was effectively stated - they would not be useful.

I'm not aware of evidence showing evolutionary loss of these organelles.
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Postby MrMistery » Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:32 pm

do you know any vertebrates that have them?
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