Rough Endoplasimic Reticulum and Smooth Endoplasimic Reticulum?

Question

in boiolgy my class is doing a cell diagram and i am responisable for the Rough Endoplasimic Reticulum and Smooth Endoplasimic Reticulum. i was thinking of doing it on stiro foam but does anybody have anyother ideas (it needs to be big and 3D and in a circle.)

Answer 1

You could probably do it in styrofoam if you had a Wonder Cutter (it's a heated wire that will melt through foam and let you carve it into a squiggly shape - you can find them at most craft stores, or at this link http://www.thecraftplace.com/store/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=218). You could get some little styrofoam balls or marbles and glue them on to represent the ribosomes in the rough ER.

In one of my classes (back in the day), we had to make an edible diagram of the cell. We used ribbon candy for the ER, and stuck M&M's on to it (using frosting) for ribosomes. Probably wouldn't fit in if everyone else made their components out of inedible materials. :P

Answer 2

Just be sure to show that the surface of the rough endoplasmic reticulum is studded with protein-manufacturing ribosomes giving it a "rough" appearance (hence its name). But it should be noted that these ribosomes are not resident of the endoplasmic reticulum incessantly. The ribosomes only bind to the ER once it begins to synthesize a protein destined for sorting. The membrane of the rough endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the outer layer of the nuclear envelope. Although there is no continuous membrane between the rough ER and the Golgi apparatus, membrane bound vesicles shuttle proteins between these two compartments. The rough endoplasmic reticulum works in concert with the Golgi complex to target new proteins to their proper destinations.

The smooth endoplasmic reticulum has functions in several metabolic processes, including synthesis of lipids, metabolism of carbohydrates and calcium concentration, drug detoxification, and attachment of receptors on cell membrane proteins. It is connected to the nuclear envelope. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum is found in a variety of cell types (both animal and plant) and it serves different functions in each. The Smooth ER also contains the enzyme Glucose-6-phosphatase which converts Glucose-6-phosphate to Glucose, a step in gluconeogenesis. The Smooth ER consists of tubules and vesicles that branch forming a network. In some cells there are dilated areas like the sacs of rough endoplasmic reticulum. The network of smooth endoplasmic reticulum allows increased surface area for the action or storage of key enzymes and the products of these enzymes. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum is known for its storage of calcium ions in muscle cells.