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Related Concept Videos

The Endoplasmic Reticulum01:43

The Endoplasmic Reticulum

The endoplasmic reticulum or ER makes up for more than half of the membranes in a cell and accounts for 10% of total cell volume. It is also the primary protein and lipid synthesis factory for most cell organelles, such as the Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, secretory vesicles, and the plasma membrane. Despite being the most extensive and functionally complex subcellular organelle, ER was the last to be discovered. After years of deliberation, Keith Porter and George Palade in the year 1954,...
Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER01:28

Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER

Biological membranes are more than just a barrier separating cell cytoplasm from the outside environment. They are highly dynamic and help maintain the integrity and physiological stability of the cells as well as membrane-bound organelles. Membranes also play vital roles in cell-to-cell and intracellular communication.
A large chunk of any biological membrane is composed of phospholipids. These lipids have a heterogeneous distribution across different subcellular organelles and even between...
Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
Protein Translocation Machinery on the ER Membrane01:28

Protein Translocation Machinery on the ER Membrane

The translocon complex situated on the ER membrane is the main gateway for the protein secretory pathway. It facilitates the transport of nascent peptides into the ER lumen and their insertion into the ER membrane.
Sec61 protein conducting channel
In eukaryotes, the translocon complex comprises a core heterotrimeric translocator channel called the Sec61 complex. This channel includes three transmembrane proteins, Sec61α, Sec61β, and Sec61γ, and is the largest subunit of the translocon complex.
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich with the analogy of...
The Fluid Mosaic Model01:34

The Fluid Mosaic Model

The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum
07:49

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum

Published on: January 22, 2019

The ER in 3D: a multifunctional dynamic membrane network.

Jonathan R Friedman1, Gia K Voeltz

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.

Trends in Cell Biology
|September 9, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has a complex 3D structure with diverse domains, regulated by proteins and the cytoskeleton. This organization is key to its many cellular functions.

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Visualization of Endoplasmic Reticulum Subdomains in Cultured Cells
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Visualization of Endoplasmic Reticulum Subdomains in Cultured Cells

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Three-dimensional Characterization of Interorganelle Contact Sites in Hepatocytes using Serial Section Electron Microscopy
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Three-dimensional Characterization of Interorganelle Contact Sites in Hepatocytes using Serial Section Electron Microscopy

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum
07:49

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum

Published on: January 22, 2019

Visualization of Endoplasmic Reticulum Subdomains in Cultured Cells
16:43

Visualization of Endoplasmic Reticulum Subdomains in Cultured Cells

Published on: February 18, 2014

Three-dimensional Characterization of Interorganelle Contact Sites in Hepatocytes using Serial Section Electron Microscopy
09:12

Three-dimensional Characterization of Interorganelle Contact Sites in Hepatocytes using Serial Section Electron Microscopy

Published on: June 9, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a vital, dynamic organelle with a complex three-dimensional structure.
  • Its structure includes cisternal, tubular, and contact sites, interfacing with other organelles and the plasma membrane.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the factors regulating ER structure.
  • To discuss how ER structural organization and dynamics enable its diverse functions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on ER structure and function.
  • Analysis of the roles of integral ER membrane proteins.
  • Examination of cytoskeleton-ER interactions.

Main Results:

  • ER structure is shaped by integral membrane proteins and cytoskeleton interactions.
  • The ER exhibits diverse domains: flat, cisternal, curved, and tubular.
  • Specific regions facilitate contact with almost all other organelles and the plasma membrane.

Conclusions:

  • The intricate 3D structure of the ER is crucial for its multifaceted cellular roles.
  • Understanding ER structural regulation provides insights into cellular function and disease.
  • The dynamic nature of the ER membrane network is essential for its adaptability and function.