Osmoregulation is the homeostatic mechanism essential for the survival of organisms in hypoosmotic and hyperosmotic conditions. In freshwater or soil dwelling protists this is frequently achieved through the action of an osmoregulatory organelle, the contractile vacuole. This endomembrane organelle responds to the osmotic challenges and compensates by collecting and expelling the excess water to maintain the cellular osmolarity. As compared with other endomembrane organelles, this organelle is underappreciated and under-studied. Here we review the reported presence or absence of contractile vacuoles across eukaryotic diversity, as well as the observed variability in the structure, function, and molecular machinery of this organelle. Our findings highlight the challenges and opportunities for constructing cellular and evolutionary models for this intriguing organelle.

Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics Dalhousie University Halifax NS Canada; Department of Biology Dalhousie University Halifax NS Canada

Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR 72701 USA

Division of Infectious Diseases Department of Medicine and Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada

Division of Infectious Diseases Department of Medicine and Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada; Institute of Parasitology Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences České Budějovice Czech Republic; Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution Department of Genetics Evolution and Environment University College London United Kingdom

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