what's the function of cell wall?

Question

blues · Answer

The cell wall is a hard, rigid, fibrous layer which surrounds cells. So function follows form: it provides the cell with mechanic support and protection and probably filters things going into and out of the cell.

roku · Answer

The cell wall prevents bursting of the cell membrane.
note that the cell wall is only found in plants. hence it provides support for the plant. the cell wall does not filter that is the function of the cell membrane ONLY.

blues · Answer

It is absolutely true that the cell wall provides structural support for the plasma membrane: it prevents the cell from bursting or shrinking under stress from fluid pressure.

And I am pretty sure that it does act as a crude, nonspecific filter for molecules going into the cell. It depends on the species specific properties of the cell wall, but I believe the size exclusion limit ranges from about 35 kD to 60 kD. I went to a presentation about ways of trying to get larger molecules through the cell wall to interact with cell surface receptors in the plasma membrane, so there is definitely some filtering action going on there.

roku · Answer

can you give a link please?

blues · Answer

"However, the cell wall is a selective filter that is more impermeable than the matrices surrounding animal cells. Whereas water and ions diffuse freely in cell walls, diffusion of particles with a diameter greater than ≈4 nm, including proteins with a molecular weight less than 20,000, is reduced. This is one of the reasons that plant hormones are small, water-soluble molecules." Second paragraph, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21709/

blues · Answer

And I like that you asked for a link.

roku · Answer

well it seems what @blues said about the cell wall was right, you can check out the link he posted. however i still hold my point that it filtering is not really a major function of the cell wall. the major function is to prevent bursting of the cell.

anonymous · Answer

The cell wall is very important. It keeps the prisoners from escaping.

blues · Answer

Josh, we love you.