Question

The contractile vacuole is an organelle found in paramecia, a group of unicellular organisms. Contractile vacuole pump out fresh water that accumulates in the organisms by osmosis. Explain how this is an example of the way paramecia maintain homeostasis?

Answer 1

Homeostasis is how the organism maintains constant internal conditions. If paramecia were unable to expel the water they take in from their environment they would start to expand and eventually lyse. The paramecia maintains a constant volume by pumping this water back outside of the cell. Thus, this is a homeostatic function.