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How do fungal cell walls differ from plant cell walls?
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A herd of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) drinking from the Chobe River, Botswana.
The primary difference between fungal and plant cell walls lies in their chemical composition. While plant cell walls are characterized by the presence of celluloseāa complex polysaccharide that provides structural supportāfungal cell walls lack cellulose entirely.123
Instead, the structural integrity of most fungal cell walls is provided by chitin and glucans. Chitin is a distinct polymer that serves as the main structural component in fungi, whereas plant walls rely on a cellulose-based matrix that may also be reinforced by other substances like lignin, cutin, and suberin to provide rigidity and protection. While some funguslike organisms may contain cellulose, it is not the defining constituent of true fungal cell walls.145