Biology

Q2C. If animal cells were to have cell walls, what might happen?

Cell walls are only present in plant cells.
FUNCTION OF CELL WALL: It protects the cell from injury and gives the plant cell a fixed shape.

I think that if animals cells have cell walls, our body shape will be entirely different as cells are the building structure of our body. The reason why leaves are so easily torn is due to the fact that the cells are not able to "bend" as it is fixed. As we pull it, it will not stretch, but break off. As we fold it, it will not return to its original shape, but will be torn. Unlike plants, when we pull our meat, it will not fly off as it is flexible. Thus, if we have cell walls, our body will react in the same way as how the plants do. Our meat will be easily torn and separated away from us with the slightest amount of contact as our cells will be fixed.

Secondly, we will look like this with cell walls:

We will look squarish, our body shaped with distinct sharp corners, and not round turning points. This is due to the fact that cell walls make the cells appear in certain shapes that is fixed, like a square or a rectangle. Thus, we will lose the uniqueness of our body shape and size, reducing ourselves to Spongebob's clones. If this happens, we will lose many of our abilities and skills to carry out the jobs of our daily lives. For example, if our fingers turn squarish, we will not be able to grip things properly and we may have difficulty bending the fingers and hold something comfortably. If our feet are squarish, we will lose our balance and fall down everytime we try to take a step. If our tounge is squarish, we will not be able to chew and roll the food in our mouth, affecting our digestion. Our whole body will turn very mechanical and technical like, losing our flexibility adjustability to our surroundings.

Of course, humans are not the only species under the animals category. It will affect other creatures too, changing them the same way it will do for us. Except that, not the exact same aspects are required to undergo adjustments.


For example, a goldfish's tail will not be able to help it swim effectively anymore as the fixed shape eliminated its ability to propell underwater.

A king kong will have its fingers squarish, not allowing it to clench its fists, thus not able to pound its own breasts.

posted by jo @ 10:52 PM