Question

What is an analogy for the endoplasmic reticulum?

Answer 1

Hint: The thread-like arranged organ present in all eukaryotic cells that help in lipid synthesis and protein synthesis is divided into two types based on the presence of ribosomes on the outer surface and are the important sites of protein production.

Complete answer:
The thread-like structures present inside a eukaryotic cell are called the endoplasmic reticulum.
The endoplasmic reticulum is of two types based on the presence or absence of granules, namely the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The endoplasmic reticulum when consists of the granules on its surface then are termed as the rough endoplasmic reticulum while the endoplasmic reticulum when the granules are absent on its surface then it is termed as the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. These granules are named the ribosomes that are the main site of the protein synthesis.
The eukaryotic cells constitute various cell organelles that include the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex, vacuoles, ribosomes, mitochondria, etc. It is a series of flattened sacs present inside the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell that performs various functions like protein synthesis, modifications of proteins, and transport of proteins. The endoplasmic reticulum in the animal cell constitutes more than half of the membranous contents of the cell. It is surrounded by two membranes, the outer membrane, and the inner membrane
The endoplasmic reticulum divides the intracellular spaces of the cell into two compartments namely the luminal compartment and the extraluminal compartment. The ribosomes are attached to the surface of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The presence of ribosomes plays an important role in the synthesis of proteins. The ribosomes are absent in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Its main function is to synthesize lipids. In the case of the animal cells, the smooth endoplasmic reticulum is responsible for the synthesis of lipid-like steroidal hormones.

Note:
In 1953, K. Porter was the first to coin the term endoplasmic. The endoplasmic reticulum stores some of the proteins and then after some time transfers them to the Golgi apparatus which is located next to the endoplasmic reticulum while the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, when found in the liver, helps in the process of detoxification of harmful chemicals and drugs.