EndomembraneS

ystem
 INTRODUCTION

• Let’s imagine you are a pancreatic cell. Your job is to secrete digestive
enzymes, which travel into the small intestine and help break down nutrients
from food.

• In order to carry out this job, you somehow have to get those enzymes shipped
from their site of synthesis—inside the cell—to their place of action—outside
the cell.

• How are you going to make this happen? After a moment of panic in which you
consider calling the postal service, you relax, having remembered: I have an
endomembrane system!
 What is the endomembrane system?

• The endomembrane system (endo- = “within”) is a group of membranes and

organelles in eukaryotic cells that works together to modify, package, and transport
lipids and proteins.
• It includes a variety of organelles, such as the nuclear envelope and lysosomes, which
you may already know, and the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus.

• It include-
1. Endoplasmic reticulum(ER)
2. Golgi complex
3. Lysosomes
4. Vacuoles

• Today we are going to learn about Endoplasmic reticulum(ER)

 About Endoplasmic Reticulum

• The endoplasmic reticulum is the organelle that is

present in almost every eukaryotic cell. Endoplasmic
reticulum is generally divided into two categories, RER
and SER.

• The endoplasmic reticulum is like a sac in structure.

• The continuous network of these sacs of membranes is

termed cisternae. .

• Both types of endoplasmic reticulum remain absent in

sperm cells and red blood cells as these cells don’t
need to perform synthesis or transportation of proteins
for their functioning.

• However smooth endoplasmic reticulum and rough

endoplasmic reticulum both perform different functions
for cells.
 WHO DISCOVERED THE ER?

• The endoplasmic reticulum were first seen in1945 by Keith R. Porter, Albert
Claude, BrodyMeskers and Ernest F. Fullam

• Used the newly developed electron microscopeto explore the interior of

cells in 1945 observed the presence of a “lace-workstructure .”

• Thompson and Porter are known as the father of the endoplasmic

reticulum.
 LOCATION

• Present in almost all eukaryotic cell

• The ER often occupies most of the cytoplasm

 • Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum Structure

Rough endoplasmic reticulum has the ribosomes studded in its outer surface which are there to
secrete proteins in a cell. Hence, giving out an unsmooth structure and termed it as the rough
endoplasmic reticulum. About 13 million ribosomes are studded in the layers of the endoplasmic
reticulum of liver cells and the rough endoplasmic reticulum location is somewhere near the
nucleus or Golgi apparatus of the cell. The rough endoplasmic reticulum also participates in
developing smooth endoplasmic reticulum.
• Rough endoplasmic reticulum functions

1. To synthesize the proteins and transport them to hormones, the liver, and other body
organs.

2. To build the chain of amino acids.

3. Rough endoplasmic reticulum’s structure gives the advantage to the endoplasmic

reticulum to control protein processing.
 • Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER)

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum’s surface structure is opposite of rough endoplasmic reticulum, it

doesn’t have any ribosomes studded in it and hence smooth surface is observed. It is termed a
smooth endoplasmic reticulum due to its smooth surface. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum is
found in the case of the nucleus. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum has tabular-like sacs
present all over the cell which helps the cell to perform many functions. The smooth endoplasmic
reticulum is found in abundant quantities near the cells which secrete cells for reproductive
organs and oil glands.

• Smooth endoplasmic reticulum functions

1. To cleanse all the contents of harmful products of alcohol and drugs.

2. Its smooth surface gives the advantage to storing main enzymes and the products with
cells.
3. It increases the metabolism of carbohydrates content present in cells.
 Key differences between RER and SER

1. Rough endoplasmic 1. Smooth endoplasmic

reticulum reticulum

• Ribosomes are present • There are no ribosomes on the

at the surface. surface.

• They form chain- • They form a chain of tabular

shaped flattened sheets of membrane throughout the
sacs membranes cell.

• The rough • Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

endoplasmic reticulum functions the storage in cell.
functions the transport
in the cell.