Question

What is the difference between the smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum?

Answer 1

Endoplasmic reticulum is one of the type of cell organelle which is present in eukaryotic cells.

The difference between rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum are as follows -

1. Rough endoplasmic reticulum has ribosomes which is present on its surface whereas smooth endoplasmic reticulum does not have ribosomes hence the name is rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum respectively.

2. Rough endoplasmic reticulum appears as a sheet whereas smooth appears as tube.

3. Rough endoplasmic reticulum is found near the nucleus whereas smooth endoplasmic reticulum is present near the cell membrane.

4. Rough endoplasmic reticulum originates from nuclear membrane while smooth endoplasmic reticulum is formed when the rough endoplasmic reticulum looses it's ribosomes.

5. Rough endoplasmic reticulum mostly occurs in protein forming cells like plasma cells, goblet cells etc whereas smooth endoplasmic reticulum occurs in lipid forming cells like adipocytes.

6. The main component of rough endoplasmic reticulum is cisternae and few tubules whereas the main components of smooth endoplasmic reticulum is vesicles and tubules.

7. The rough endoplasmic reticulum is involved in protein translation and also includes protein folding while smooth endoplasnic reticulum is found to be involved in the production as well as metabolism of lipids.

8. Rough endoplasmic reticulum is involved in lysosome formation while smooth endoplasmic reticulum leads to the formation of sphareosomes.

9. Rough endoplasmic reticulum have narrow pores. These narrow pores are found below the ribosomes and provides passage for the polyopeptides into the endoplasmic reticulum channels. On the other hand smooth endoplasnic reticulum does not have pores and thus the materials which are synthesized by smooth endoplasmic reticulum do not pass into the endoplasmic reticulum channels.

10. Ribophorins are present in rough endoplasmic reticulum whereas absent in smooth endoplasmic reticulum.