Difference between gas vacuole and contractile vacuole

Dear Student

Contractile vacuole is a kind of vacuole found in protists such as Amoeba and unicellular algae. It plays an important role in osmoregulation of the cell i.e. maintains the water and ion balance of the cell. It stores and excretes out the excess water of the cell.

Whereas, Gas Vacuoles are present in Prokaryotes. They are composed of proteins. These gas vacuoles help to maintain buoyancy in the prokaryotic cell in which they are present.

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