Types: There are two kinds of endoplasmic reticulum (ER):

(i) Rough surfaced ER, also known as ergastoplasm. They are coated with

ribosomes. Near the nucleus, this type of ER merges with the outer membrane of
the nuclear envelope.

(ii) Smooth surfaced ER: They do not have attached ribosomes.

Functions 

(a) Function of rough ER: Rough ER synthesises memb- rane lipids, and secretory

proteins. These proteins are inserted through the ER membrane into the lumen of
the cisternae where they are modified and transported through the cell.

(b) Function of smooth ER: Smooth endoplasmic reticulum is involved:

(i) Inlipidsynthesisand(ii) Modification and transport of proteins synthesised

in the rough ER

Note: A number of important enzymes are associated with the endoplasmic

reticulum of mammalian liver cells. These include the enzymes responsible for
the synthesis of sterol, triacylglycerol (TG), Phospholipids (PL) and the enzymes
involved in detoxification of drugs. Cytochrome P450 which participates in drug
hydroxylation reside in the ER.

4. Golgi complexes (or Golgi apparatus): They are also called Dictyosomes. Each

eukaryotic cell contains a unique stack of smooth surfaced compartments or
cisternae that make up the Golgi complex. The ER is usually closely associated
with the Golgi complexes, which contain flattened, fluid filled golgi sacs.

The Golgi complex has a Proximal or Cis compart- ment, a medial compartment

and a distal or trans compartment.

Recent evidence suggests strongly that the complex serves as a unique sorting
device that receives newly synthesized proteins, all containing signal or transit
peptides from the ER. It is interesting to note that those proteins with no signal or 
transit peptides regions are rejected by the Golgi apparatus without processing it
further and remain as cytoplasmic protein.
 Functions 

. (i)  On the proximal or cis side, the Golgi complexes receive the newly

synthesised proteins by ER via transfer vesicles.

. (ii)  Thepost-translationalmodificationstakeplacein the golgi lumen (median

part) where the carbo hydrates and lipid precursors are added to proteins
to form glycoproteins and lipoproteins respec- tively .

(iii) On the distal or trans side they release proteins via modified membranes called

secretory vesicles. These secretory vesicles move to and fuse with the plasma
membrane where the contents may be expelled by a process called exocytosis.

5. Lysosomes: Lysosomes are cell organelles found in cells which contain packet

of enzymes. Lysosome word derived from Greek word Gree, meaning lysis
(loosening). Discovered and described for the first time as a new organelle by the
Belgian Biochemist de Duve in 1955. • Size: Mean diameter is approximately 0.4
(varies in

between that of microsomes and mitochondria). They

are surrounded by a lipoprotein membrane.• Lysosomes are found in all animal

cells, except 

erythrocytes, in varying numbers and types.• pH: pH inside the lysosomes is

lower than that of cytosol. The lysosomal enzymes have an optimal pH around 5.
Acid phosphatase is used as a marker 

enzyme for this organelle. 

Enzyme Groups Present in Lysosomes

Essentially the enzymes about 30 to 40, are hydrolytic in nature. They can be
grouped as follows:

Lysosomal Enzymes

1. Proteolytic enzymes

2. Nucleic acid hydrolysing

 enzymes

3. Lipid hydrolysing enzymes

4. Carbohydrate splitting
enzymes

5. Other enzymes

• Cathepsins (Proteinase) •
Collagenase• Elastase•
Ribonucleases

• Deoxyribonucleases • Lipases•
Phospholipases•
Fattyacylesterases • -glucosidase

• -galactosidase• Hyaluronidase•
Arylsulphatase,etc. • Acid
phosphatase• Catalase,etc.

• As long as the lysosomal membrane is intact, the encapsulated enzymes can act
only locally. But when the membrane is ruptured, the enzymes are released into
the cytoplasm and can hydrolyse external substrates (biopolymers).

Biomedical Importance

• In autophagic processes, cellular organelles such as mitochondria and the endopla

within the lysosome. The enzymes are active at postmortem autolysis.

• In the death of a cell, lysosomal bodies disintegrate, releasing hydrolytic enzymes

that the cell undergoes autolysis.

SECTION ONE