What is the purpose of thin-walled cells?

[no idea]

Cells with thick wall can support the whole organisms. Then what is the function of thin wall?

 

[misskitty]

I don't remember much of my biology, but I thought it had something to do with acting as a protective barrier within the thick wall of the cell, protecting different parts like the nucleus.

 

[gerben]

Well, of course not all cells function to support the organism. Technically only plant cells have cell walls, but cells in the bones of a mammal secrete material that forms an extra cellular matrix making up the bone. Cells in your stomach that are supposed to take up nutrients from digested food should not have a thick layer around them as that would hinder intake of nutrients. Same for certain cells in the roots of a tree. As an other example, cells in the leaves of a plant have to be able to take in oxygen and release carbondioxide so they cannot have a thick cell wall, also sunlight must be able to reach the chlorofyl within the cells so they cannot have a wall that blocks sunlight.

I guess you can come up with many, many more examples yourself.

 

[misskitty]

Interesting, you learn something new everyday.