Golgi Complex Project

Mrs. Gumberg

9/17/12

Anatomy Organelle Project

Golgi Complex

Golgi Complex

The Golgi Apparatus also known as the golgi body is a eukaryotic cell organelle, meaning that it is located within a cell that has a nucleus containing DNA. Golgi body is actually a pile/stack of membranous structures called cisternae. The numbers of cisternae in a single stack vary between 6-8. The Golgi bodies are found in both plant & animal cells. The golgi apparatus, similar to the endoplasmic reticulum is a packaging organelle. The Golgi apparatus is one of the more important organelles of a eukaryotic cell. The primary job of the Golgi body is to direct the carbohydrates and proteins (generated in the endoplasmic reticulum) to their correct destination. Another function of the Golgi apparatus is that it gathers simple molecules and combines them to make molecules that are more complex. It then packages those big molecules into vesicles, and either sends them out of the cell or stores them for later for other future purposes. Other functions of the Golgi apparatus include the production of glycosaminoglycan’s, which goes on to form parts of connective tissues. The Golgi will use a xylose link, which is a sugar first isolated from wood, to polymerize the glycosaminoglycan onto proteins to form proteoglycan. It then performs sulfation onto the proteoglycans in order to aid in signaling abilities and giving the molecule a negative charge. The Golgi complex is also the organelle that can be responsible for building lysosomes, which are small sacks of digestive enzymes. In a plant cell, the Golgi bodies may also create complex sugars and send then off in secretory vesicles. These vesicles are created in the same way that the endoplasmic reticulum does it. The vesicles are pinched off the membrane and float through the cell.

The Golgi complex works thoroughly with the rough ER. When a protein is made in the ER, a transition vesicle is made. This vesicle or sac floats through...