The smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a network of tubules in plant and animal cells that is involved in lipid synthesis and metabolism. Discovered in 1945 in Belgium, smooth ER lacks ribosomes on its surface and has a diameter of about 150 nanometers. Its main functions include steroid hormone production, detoxification of organic compounds, glucose release in liver cells, and calcium ion regulation. If smooth ER stops working properly, lipid production and metabolism would be disrupted, affecting the entire organism.

1. Name:Fernandez, Roiden Fredrich M. Section: IX- Krypton
Halayahay, Eunice Subject: Science9a
Peduche, GuericaMariz
(Source:http://witkopsbiology.weebly.com/smooth-endoplasmic-reticulum.html)
Year Discovered: 1945
Discovered by: Ernest Fullam, Keith Porter, and Albert Claude
Country: Endoplasmic Reticulum was discovered in Belgium at Rockefeller Institute.
Shape: A tubular network of cytoplasmic pipelines.
Size: Tubules are about 150 nanometer in diameter.
Why Smooth ER is smooth?: Because there are no ribosomes on the surface of this organelle,
unlike its counterpart, the rough endoplasmic reticulum which gets its name from the presence
of the ribosomes.
Animal or Plant Cell?: The organelle called ‘endoplasmic reticulum’ occurs in both plants and
animals.
Role of Smooth ER: Smooth ER is devoted almost exclusively to the manufacture of lipids and in
some cases to the metabolism of them and associated products..

2. Function of Smooth ER: The smooth endoplasmic reticulum has such functions as the
manufacture of steroid hormones in endocrine cells, the detoxification of organic compounds
within liver cells, the release of glucose in liver cells, and regulating the concentration of
calciumions within the cisternae space.
Interesting Fact: Smooth ER is largely associated with lipid (fat) manufacture, metabolism,
steroid production and hormone production. It also has a detoxification function.
What if the Smooth ER stops working properly?: If the Smooth ER stops working properly then
the whole organism will be affected. When a human consumes alcohol, the Smooth ER
detoxifies the harmful effects of the substance. There would be no transportation of necessary
materials to other organelles. The cell would stop functioning. The liver would also fail. A cell
needs a Smooth ER and many problems would result without one.
References:
https://epiehonorsbiology.wikispaces.com/Rough+endopla%20smic+reticulum
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Bla%20usen_0350_EndoplasmicReticul
um.png
http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/kfield/organelles/ser.html
http://bscb.org/learning-resources/softcell-e-%20learning/endoplasmic-reticulum-rough-and-
smooth/