Cell Wall

Definition

The cell wall is a rigid layer of polysaccharides lying outside the plasma membrane of the cells of plants, fungi, and bacteria. In algae and higher plants, it consists mainly of cellulose.

Related terms

Cellulose:

A complex carbohydrate that forms the main constituent of the cell wall in most plants and is important in the manufacture of numerous products, such as paper, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and explosives.

Plasma Membrane:

The semipermeable membrane surrounding the cytoplasm of a cell that controls what enters or leaves a cell.

Polysaccharide:

A carbohydrate whose molecules consist of a number of sugar molecules bonded together; they are an important component in plant's structural building material.