What are the differences between cell membrane and cell wall?

Question

Accepted Answer

Basis of differentiation
Cell Membrane
Cell Wall

Species in which it is present
Present in all types of cells in all living organisms including plants
Present only in plant cells and some algae, fungi, and bacteria

Location in the cell
Is the outermost layer in animal cells and the inner layer in plant cells
Is the outermost covering in plant cells

Structure
Has a thin, delicate, flexible structure capable of changing shape when needed
Has a thick, rigid structure with fixed shape

Thickness
Is 7.5 nm to 10 nm in thickness, which remains the same for the lifetime of the organism
Is 0.1 &mu;m to several &mu;m in thickness, which increases over time and occupies the entire cell in the plant as it ages and dies

Composition
Is a lipid bilayer composed of lipoproteins and carbohydrates
Composed of pectin, cellulose, glycolipids, chitin, glycoproteins, sugar, and lignin

Permeability
Is selectively permeable and controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell
Is fully permeable to smaller-sized molecules measuring 30 to 60 kDa.

Metabolically active/inactive
Is metabolically active
Is metabolically inactive

Nutritional requirements
Requires proper nutrition from the cell to survive
No nutritional requirements from the cell

Functions
Provides protection for the cell and its cellular components from the internal environment, regulates the movement of molecules in and out of the cell through selective permeability, and plays a key role in communication
Provides structural support and rigidity for the plant body and protects the cell from the external environment

Basis of differentiation	Cell Membrane	Cell Wall
Species in which it is present	Present in all types of cells in all living organisms including plants	Present only in plant cells and some algae, fungi, and bacteria
Location in the cell	Is the outermost layer in animal cells and the inner layer in plant cells	Is the outermost covering in plant cells
Structure	Has a thin, delicate, flexible structure capable of changing shape when needed	Has a thick, rigid structure with fixed shape
Thickness	Is 7.5 nm to 10 nm in thickness, which remains the same for the lifetime of the organism	Is 0.1 μm to several μm in thickness, which increases over time and occupies the entire cell in the plant as it ages and dies
Composition	Is a lipid bilayer composed of lipoproteins and carbohydrates	Composed of pectin, cellulose, glycolipids, chitin, glycoproteins, sugar, and lignin
Permeability	Is selectively permeable and controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell	Is fully permeable to smaller-sized molecules measuring 30 to 60 kDa.
Metabolically active/inactive	Is metabolically active	Is metabolically inactive
Nutritional requirements	Requires proper nutrition from the cell to survive	No nutritional requirements from the cell
Functions	Provides protection for the cell and its cellular components from the internal environment, regulates the movement of molecules in and out of the cell through selective permeability, and plays a key role in communication	Provides structural support and rigidity for the plant body and protects the cell from the external environment

What are the differences between cell membrane and cell wall?

Posted January 27, 2022