A Eukaryotic Cell That is Involved in Producing a Lot

Question

A eukaryotic cell that is involved in producing a lot of protein would have an extensive network of
A) rough endoplasmic reticulum.
B) smooth endoplasmic reticulum.
C) chloroplasts.
D) mitochondria.

Accepted Answer

The rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) is studded with ribosomes and is involved in the synthesis and processing of proteins. Cells that produce a lot of proteins (such as pancreas cells that produce enzymes or muscle cells that produce contractile proteins) will have an extensive network of RER to accommodate the high demand for protein synthesis. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) is more involved in lipid metabolism than protein synthesis and would not be as important in cells producing a lot of protein. Chloroplasts and mitochondria are found in plant cells and eukaryotic cells respectively, but their function is not directly related to protein synthesis.