The appearance, ultrastructure and function of Golgi apparatus.

The Golgi apparatus receives proteins in vesicles (packages) from the endoplasmic reticulum: it modifies them (like adding carbohydrate) and packages them in a new vesicle which is labelled (so it can travel to the right place). The Golgi apparatus can also transport, modify and store lipids.

Mostly the vesicles are going to the cell surface membrane to release their content outside the cell: an example of this in practice is enzymes being secrete in the pancreas to digest food.

The Golgi apparatus is made up of flattened sacs called cisternae. To make a vesicle a bit of the cisternae breaks off into a circular shaped package- this will contain either proteins, carbohydrates or lipids.

Not to scale

Not to scale