BRAINCAKEPlant Cell Walls
The plant cell wall is a strong, non-living layer outside the cell surface membrane. It is made mainly of cellulose.
Structure
Cellulose is a polysaccharide made of long, straight chains of β-glucose joined by 1,4 glycosidic bonds. Neighbouring chains lie side by side and are held together by many hydrogen bonds, forming bundles called microfibrils. Microfibrils are very strong in tension.
The microfibrils are laid down in layers, often at different angles to each other, and are embedded in a matrix of other polysaccharides, including hemicelluloses and pectins. This structure resembles reinforced concrete, and makes the wall strong in all directions.
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Key terms in this lesson
- apoplast pathway
- The route for water movement through a plant via the cell walls and intercellular spaces, without crossing any cell membrane.
More in Eukaryotic Cells
- Smooth ER
- Golgi Apparatus
- Lysosomes
- Plant Cells
- Plasmodesmata
- Permanent Vacuole
- Chloroplasts
- Organisation of Cells
All 30 lessons in Eukaryotic Cells · All Edexcel AS-level Biology topics