Question

If a plant cell is covered with the cell wall, but the plasma membrane is absent, will it affect the cell? Explain how and why?

Answer 1

A cell wall is a structural layer surrounding some types of cells, just outside the cell membrane. It can be tough, flexible, and sometimes rigid. It provides the cell with both structural support and protection, and also acts as a filtering mechanism. The cell membrane, or plasma membrane, is a biological membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm of a cell. In animals, the plasma membrane is the outer boundary of the cell, while in plants and prokaryotes it is usually covered by a cell wall. It is flexible and elastic. A cell membrane is called a selectively permeable membrane because it allows the materials in and out of the cell according to the requirement of the cell. It is made up of lipid bilayer and protein (Fluid Mosaic Model). It encloses the contents of a cell, provides shape, and allows transportation viz., diffusion and osmosis. If plasma membrane is absent, any type of nutrients can enter into the cell, causing harm to the cell internally. Since it also helps provide shape, the cell can collapse without the presence of plasma membrane.