Cell Wall

The cell wall is an essential feature present in fungi, plant and bacterial cells. It is situated outside the cell membrane. Its primary function is to surround and provide protection to the cell along with giving the cell its desired shape and configuration. Some bacterial cells possess long appendages thereby increasing the surface area of the cell and allowing it to live in a very dilute environment. A cell becomes amorphic if it loses its cell wall and may also lose its shape. The cell wall is a rigid platform for the surface appendages and acts as an attachment area for bacteriophages. The cell wall also prevents the cell from bursting when there is a pressure from intracellular osmolarity.