Bacterial cell walls
The rigid cell walls of bacteria determine cell shape and prevent the
cell from bursting as a result of osmotic pressure. The structure of their cell
walls divides bacteria into two broad classes that can be distinguished by a
staining procedure known as the Gram stain, developed by Christian Gram in 1884.
Gram-negative bacteria (such as E. coli) have a dual
membrane system, in which the membrane plasma is surrounded
by a permeable outer membrane. These bacteria have thin cell walls located
between their inner and outer membranes. In contrast, Gram-positive bacteria
(such as the common human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus) have only
a single plasma membrane, which is surrounded by a much thicker wall cell.
**!!REMEMBER TO STAY POSITIVE LIKE A PROTON!!**
