The endoplasmic reticulum is a layer of membranes which surround the nucleus of the cell and lie within the cells cytoplasm. It forms a mini-circulatory system which enables substances to move from one part of the cell to another. There are two types of endoplasmic reticulum; smooth and rough. A cell may have one or both types of endoplasmic reticulum.
A key function of the rough endoplasmic reticulum is to facilitate the transport of proteins within the cell. These proteins nourish the cell. Cells which are involved in protein production, for example the pancreas which produces enzymes to aid digestion, have rough endoplasmic reticulum.
The smooth endoplasmic reticulum functions to breakdown cholesterol, metabolise fat and detoxify. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum is particularly concentrated in the liver, which plays a key role in metabolism and detoxification.
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