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Cell Membrane Function.

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Valeria Amaya Burgos
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75 views

Cell Membrane Function.

Uploaded by

Valeria Amaya Burgos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Valeria Amaya

Name ____________________________________________________ 3/6/23


Date ______________________________

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION:


Cell Wall and Cell Membrane
You’ve probably heard about the cell wall and cell membrane The cell wall also functions to hold the plant up, since
before. The cell wall provides protection and support, while plants otherwise have no skeletons. Animal cells do not have
the cell membrane controls what enters and exits the cell. But cell walls, which has allowed animals to develop a greater
have you ever wondered how these organelles perform their diversity of cell types, tissues, and organs than plants.
functions? It’s because of their structure! Despite their differences, animal and plant cells have a lot in
The cell wall is a rigid layer surrounding the cell membrane common. For example, both contain a cell membrane.
of plant cells. It is made up of complex carbohydrates, or The cell membrane is composed of a double-layered
sugars, like cellulose. Cellulose is composed of several sheet of lipids, or fat molecules, that gives it a flexible
thousand simple sugar molecules linked end to end. In other structure and forms a barrier between the cell and its
words, it’s quite tough! Its composition makes the cell wall surroundings. Only small molecules, like oxygen, are able to
strong, enabling it to protect and support the cell. pass freely through the lipid layers.
The cell wall is also porous, meaning it is full of tiny holes. There are many different proteins embedded in the cell
This allows water, minerals, and other nutrients to enter the membrane. Some of these proteins form channels or pumps
cell. Though plant cells need lots of water, too much water to move specific molecules in and out of the cell. There are
can be a bad thing. The cell wall prevents cytolysis in plant also carbohydrates attached to the lipids and proteins in
cells, which is when a cell bursts. Without the cell wall, plant the cell membrane. Some of these carbohydrates act like
cells could take on more and more water, expanding until they chemical name tags, allowing cells to identify each other.
pop! Because the cell wall is so rigid, it keeps plant cells from Because the cell membrane contains so many different types
overexpanding and bursting as water enters. of molecules, it is often described as a mosaic by scientists.

Plant Cell Cell Membrane carbohydrate


cell water protein
chain
wall

protein lipid
protein protein bilayer
channel protein

Show what you know about the cell wall and cell membrane by answering the questions below.

1. What makes the cell wall so strong?___________________________________________________________________________________


Because it is made up of complex carbohydrates, so its composition make the cell wall
strong.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. How does the cell wall prevent cytolysis?______________________________________________________________________________


Because the cell wall is so rigid, it keeps plant from overextending and bursting
as water enter.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. A semipermeable membrane describes a membrane that allows only certain molecules to pass through it. Give two
When it only let pass some nutrients, and when it act
examples of how the cell membrane is semipermeable.________________________________________________________________
like a filter.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. What is a function of the carbohydrates attached to the cell membrane?____________________________________________


t allows cell to identify each others. I
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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