What is the cell membrane?
Q: What is the cell membrane?
A: The cell membrane is a thin flexible layer around the cells of all living things. It is sometimes called the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane.
Q: What does the cell membrane do?
A: Its basic job is to separate the inside of cells from the outside. In all cells, it separates the cytoplasm inside the cell from its surroundings.
Q: Do animal cells have anything other than a membrane?
A: No, animal cells are only contained in just a membrane.
Q: Do bacteria, fungi and plants have anything else besides a cell membrane?
A: Yes, bacteria, fungi and plants also have strong cell walls which support the cell and block the passage of large molecules.
Q: How does a cell wall differ from a cell membrane?
A: A cell wall provides additional support for bacteria, fungi and plant cells whereas a cell membrane only serves to separate what's inside from what's outside of the cell.
Q: What kind of molecules are blocked by a cellular wall?
A: Cellular walls block large molecules from passing through them.
