New Video Posted: The Golgi Apparatus and Protein Processing

In the video - The Golgi Apparatus and Protein Processing - I look at the role of the Golgi in processing proteins.

The Golgi apparatus (possibly my favourite organelle) was discovered by Camillo Golgi in 1898 and confirmed in the 1950s.

Structurally, the Golgi resembles a stack of plates, and it has three distinct regions: the cis face (closest to the ER), the medial Golgi, and the trans face (furthest from the ER). The primary function of the Golgi is to process and sort proteins received from the ER, directing them to lysosomes, endosomes, or the plasma membrane.

There are two main theories for how the Golgi operates:

• Vesicle Transport Model - proteins move to the machinery.
• Cisternal Maturation Model - machinery moves to the proteins.

Evidence, such as vesicular tubular clusters and vesicles' size constraints, supports the Cisternal Maturation Model. In this model, the Golgi's cisternae mature over time, recycling enzymes via COPI vesicles.

Upon leaving the Golgi, proteins can enter one of two pathways:

• Constitutive secretory pathway - direct to the cell surface)
• Regulated secretory pathway - via secretory vesicles and requires a signal for the vesicles to traffic further.

If you would like to say thanks for the video, then please feel free to buy me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/drnickm

Blog Bonus: Free information sheet summarising the video and defining the key terms - download.

New Video Posted: Exploring the Endoplasmic Reticulum: Functions, Vesicle Trafficking, and Quality Control

In the video Exploring the Endoplasmic Reticulum: Functions, Vesicle Trafficking, and Quality Control, I look at the important role played in the cell by the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER).

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is involved in a number of key processes in the cell connected with protein production, including:

• Disulphide Bond Formation: Occurs as proteins are imported into the ER, crucial for protein stability and function.
• Protein Glycosylation: Starts in the ER and finishes in the Golgi, important for protein folding and interactions.
• Quality Control: Marks incorrectly folded proteins for destruction, though it may sometimes incorrectly target properly folded proteins.

The newly made proteins are trafficked from the ER to the Golgi in COPII Vesicles. 

If you would like to say thanks for the video, then please feel free to buy me a coffee at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/drnickm

Blog Bonus: Free information sheet summarising the video and defining the key terms - download.