Learning About Cell Biology

What is Cell Biology
Cellular Components
The Endomembrane System
Golgi Apparatus
Vesicles and Cellular Transport
The Mitochondria
The Plasma Membrane

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The Endoplasmic Reticulum and Ribosomal Complex

The endoplasmic reticulum, or ER, is an extensive maze of membranous tubules and sacs called cisternae. The ER membrane separates its internal compartment, the sisternal space, from the cytosol. It is also a contunuous extension of the nuclear membrane.

There are two distinct regiosn of the ER, the Rough ER and the Smooth ER. The Rough ER, RER, contains the ribosome, another cytoplasmic organelle which is responsible for the translation of RNA into fucntional proteins.

The Smooth ER, SER, does not contain ribosomes, this is the site of lipid synthesis, metabolism of carbohydrates, and detoxification of drugs and toxins.

The Ribosome

A ribosome is the site of protein synthesis. Once the mRNA leaves the nucleus with the geentic message it comes into contact with the ribosome which is contained both on the nuclear membrane and the RER. The ribosome can also be found floating freely in the cytoplasm.

The Simple Store

All Simple Schooling unit study courses as well as the Simple Days, will be on sale in the Store. We are hoping to add two new courses every month in 2009.

Courses scheduled for February release are:

Forensic Science Available February 15th(Upper grades)

Human Anatomy I Available March 30 (upper grades)