| The Endoplasmic Reticulum | |
| The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a complex set of internal membranes that may have ribosomes attached (rough or granular endoplasmic reticulum; RER or GET) or may be devoid of ribosomes (smooth or agranular endoplasmic reticulum; SER or AER) | |
| The ER has many important functions: | |
| 1 | It transports proteins, lipids, and other materials within the cell |
| 2 | It is a major site of cell membrane synthesis |
| 3 | ER-associated enzymes and ribosomes synthesize lipids and many proteins |
| 4 | New ER is produced through expansion of old ER |