BIO222 CELL BIOLOGY

Lecture 4
Organelles – Endoplasmic Reticulum
(ER)

Final Exam Times(No change):

First exam: Thursday 18-2-1441

/17-10-2019 from 3-4

Second exam: Wednesday 23-3-

1441/20-11-2019 from 2-3

Dr. Alawiah Alhebshi Alhasheme

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER):
page20

-ER is an irregular maze of

interconnected spaces
enclosed by a membrane,
and found in eukaryotic
cells.

- The ER is the largest organelle

in the cell and is a major site of:

1-protein synthesis and transport,
Also, 2- it is important for lipid and
steroid synthesis 3- carbohydrate
metabolism and calcium storage
Many cellular components are produced in the endoplasmic
reticulum:
(A) the endoplasmic reticulum in green.
(B) electron micrograph of a small part of the endoplasmic
reticulum (ER), note that the ER is continuous with the
membrane of the outer nuclear envelope. the black particles
are ribosomes—the molecular assemblies that perform
protein synthesis.
 Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) page 19, 20

• It is the site where most cell-membrane components are

made, as well as materials made for export to the outside
the cell.

• This organelle is enormously enlarged in cells that are

specialized for the secretion of proteins (Why?)

• ER is the factory of the cell:

 The smooth ER mainly produces lipids, but the rough
ER is where cell membranes are produced according to
DNA instructions, so it is often called the membrane
factory of the cell
 Endoplasmic Reticulum
shape:
• A system of membrane
channels and saccules
(flattened vesicles)
continuous with the outer
membrane of the nuclear
envelope
 There are two basic types of ER:

• Ribosomes are attached to the

outer surface of the ER and
give it a rough appearance, in
this case ER is called Rough
Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER).

• When ER lacks (does not have)

ribosomes attached to it, it is
then called Smooth ER (SER).
Ribosomes are Attached to ER or Free in Cytosol page 252

A typical eukaryotic cell

contains millions of
ribosomes in its cytoplasm
 Morphologically the endoplasmic reticulum is
composed of following three kinds of structures:
1- Cisternae: (ster/eneh)
These are flattened , unbranched, sac-like
element. Inside the Cisternae a fluid-filled
space which is known as cisternae space
or lumen that is continuous with nuclear
envelope  RER
2- Tubules:
These are irregular branching element 1-Cisternae 3- Vesicles 2- Tubules
which form a network along with other
element. These are often free of ribosomes
 SER
3- Vesicles: (vese/ikəl)
These are oval and rounded , vacuole like
element - free of ribosomes SER
Video for Endoplasmic Reticulum:
 ER Functions:

• Production site of cell membrane components, so it is often

called the membrane factory of the cell
• Production of materials made for export outside the cell --
(RER)
• Synthesis of proteins -- (RER)
• Site of initial protein modification -- (RER)
• Synthesis of lipids and steroids (Not synthesis proteins )-- (SER)
• Detoxification of alcohol and other drugs -- (SER of the liver)
• Storage and control of Calcium (Ca2+) ions in Sarcoplasmic
reticulum -- (SER in muscle cell) .
 Synthesis & Production of Proteins in ER
page 506
• Information contained in genes directed protein synthesis
• Proteins are the principal constituents of cells

• Membrane-bound ribosomes are attached to the

cytosolic side of the ER membrane (and outer nuclear
membrane) and are making proteins that are being
translocated into the ER.

 Membrane-bound ribosomes and free ribosomes

are structurally and functionally identical; they
differ only in the proteins they are making
Protein Synthesis in ER

• When a ribosome is making a protein: the signal sequence

directs the ribosome to the ER membrane. As an mRNA
molecule is translated, many ribosomes bind to it, forming a
polyribosome (also called polysome).

• The polyribosome becomes engaged to the ER membrane by

the growing polypeptide chains (Figure 15–13 next slide).
 Protein
Synthesis in
ER
 Ca2+ Pumps Keep the Cytosolic Ca2+ Concentration
Low page 392, 393

• ATP-driven Ca2+ pumps in both the plasma membrane and the ER

membrane, which actively pump Ca2+ out of the cytosol.

Ca2+, like Na+, is

kept at a low
concentration in
the cytosol
compared with its
concentration in
the extracellular
fluid. When a muscle cell is stimulated, Ca
floods into cytosol from the sarcoplasmic
reticulum
ER is the Major Site of Synthesis of New Membranes in the
Cell.
• The cell is surrounded by a cell membrane that has the exact
structure of cellular organelles; this structure is “phospholipid
bilayer structure”

 In addition to phospholipids,
cell membranes contain
different kinds of molecules
such as proteins, sugars and
their derivatives (such as
glycolipids, prteoglycans and
glycoproteins)
ER in Cellular Transport page 20
• A continual exchange of
materials takes place
between the endoplasmic
reticulum, the Golgi
apparatus, the lysosomes,
and the outside of the cell.

• The exchange is mediated

by transport vesicles that
pinch off from the
membrane of one organelle This system of transport is called:
Vesicular Transport System
and fuse with another
 ER Size:
The size of RER and SER changes depending on the
protein-synthesis activity. When high protein demand or
synthesis occur, the RER size increases.
What is the difference between Cytoplasm
and Cytosol?
Difference Between Cytosol and Cytoplasm:

Cytosol is the intra-cellular fluid that is present

inside the cells. ... On the other hand:

cytoplasm is the total content within the cell

membrane other than the contents of the nucleus of the
cell.

 Cytosol= intra-cellular fluid only.

 cytoplasm=intra-cellular fluid+Organelles
Golgi system