Реферат: The Plant Cell Essay Research Paper Cell

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Size: Highly variable

Basic Function:

* Serves as “transportation system” for cell.

* Moves proteins and vesicles around cell.

The Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (or ER) serves as a home for the ribosomes of a cell and as a

“highway” for the cell’s proteins to be transported on. Being close to the ribosomes allows for the quick

transfer of proteins from them to the rest of the cell. This “highway” is composed of interconnected

membranes and vesicles. The process of transporting these newly created proteins is critical to the cell, and

is required for furthur survival. The ER is very closely associated with the Golgi Apparatus.

Vacuole

Size: Varies from 10+? to quite small.

Basic Function:

* Serves as large storage centers for cell.

* Hold water and many nutrients

Inside the cell, surrounded by the cytoplasm, is the vacuole. In a plant, the vacuole acts as an extremely

large storage area, and serves as a “control” for the turgor pressure in the cell. The vacuoles that perform

the latter are called contracile vacuoles. They take on excess water and then squeeze it out of the cell to

prevent cytolysis. The other task of the vacuole is also very important. It stores enzymes and toxic wastes

that cannot be stored anywhere else in the cell. Usually, there is only one vacuole per plant cell, and it can

take up to nearly 90% of the cell’s total volume.