Definition

A membrane that surrounds a vacuole in a plant cell, helping to control what enters and leaves the vacuole.

Example

The tonoplast plays a crucial role in maintaining the cell's internal environment.

Conversation

I was reading about plant cells, and I came across the term tonoplast.

Oh really? What does a tonoplast do exactly?

It’s basically the membrane that surrounds the vacuole in a plant cell.

That’s interesting! I didn’t know that plant cells had such specialized structures.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Tonoplast → It is formed from "tono-" (from Greek "tonos", meaning tension or tone) and "plast" (from Greek "plastos", meaning formed or molded). The word refers to a membrane that is formed or molded to maintain the tension of the cell's vacuole.

Memory Tip

Think of 'tone' ('tono-') which relates to tension, and 'plast' meaning formed. This helps you remember that a tonoplast is a membrane that helps maintain the tension in a cell's vacuole.

Visually Confused Words