A storage closet or storage room is perhaps the greatest analogue of a cell vacuole to a dwelling. The vacuole is an organelle with a surrounding membrane that may store anything from water to enzymes, food, or waste items. A storage room in a house, on the other hand, frequently maintains a wide array of objects. A storage room might be used to keep tools and equipment organized or accessible, but it could also be filled with old furniture or junk. The word "vacuole" comes from Latin meaning "empty space". Thus, a vacuole is a cavity or hollow space within a cell containing material not necessary for survival of the organism. Although many cells contain multiple vacuoles, only one is shown in figure 1 below. Vacuoles provide space for substances to accumulate before they are disposed of by cells through processes such as digestion or excretion. For example, digestive juices contain acids that can break down proteins and carbohydrates; the resulting amino acids and sugar molecules are stored in the vacuole until they can be absorbed into blood vessels or discharged from the body in urine or feces. Figure 1. Schematic diagram of a cell showing a single large vacuole (black) within the cytoplasm. The nucleus (dark blue) is located in the center of the cell surrounded by a thin membrane (light blue).