Bio 208 Lecture 1

Plant Cell Structure

Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic

Prokaryotic - Has no membrane bound organelles, small, simple (Bacteria)

Eukaryotic - Nucleus, membrane bound organelles, large

Cellulose

1. Structural Polysaccharide in plant cell walls

2. Made of long chains of B-Glucose

3. Provides strength and rigidity to plants

4. Not digestible by humans

Hemicellulose

1. Plant pollysaccharide in cell walls (cellulose and lignin)

2. Shorter, branched chains of different sugars

3. Filler/connector that binds cellulose together

4. Supports cell wall

Pectin

Organic material that gives stiffness to fruit jellies

Glycoproteins

Proteins that have sugars associated with their molecules

Middle Lamella

1. Constists of a pectin layer when cell walls are first formed

2. Glues adjacent cells together

Secondary Cell Walls

1. Produced toward the inside of primary walls

2. Comes when primary walls thicken and include lignin

Plasmodesmata

1. Small channels between plant cells

2. Allows transportation and communication between cells