Structure of Plant Cell Walls and Implications for Nutrient Acquisition

Abstract

The structure and function of plant cell walls are characterized by the chemical structures of their constituents, cellulosic polysaccharides, matrix polysaccharides, glycoproteins and lignin. In this chapter, the restriction of wall extensibility in growing cells and the aggregation of cells in rice callus tissues by the coupling of feruloyl residues on matrix polysaccharides, the permeability of the plant cell wall, and a possible role for cell wall components, phenolic acids, in nutrient acquisition are described in addition to the chemical structures of the major components of plant cell walls.