Splitting ERs

A sprawling network of interconnected tubules and sheets, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a vital tiny organ or organelle inside our cells. In textbook descriptions, the ER is often neatly separated into regions with different roles – but in practice making that distinction requires powerful microscopy. In this cell, pictured under a confocal microscope with its nucleus highlighted in blue, the flattened sheets of the rough ER (orange) help to shape and fold proteins, while the tubes of the smooth ER (magenta) work to manufacture fats. Both are essential biological molecules. The balance between ER tubules and sheets changes in certain genetic diseases like Warburg Micro syndrome, having a detrimental effect on the function of the ER and health of the cell.

Image captured at the Micron Imaging Facility, in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image from work by Andreas Gerondopoulos and Danny Gold
• Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
• Image copyright held by Andreas Gerondopoulos and Danny Gold
• Referring to research published in Journal of Cell Biology, July 2014