Question

In cells responsible for removing more impurities, what would you expect the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (sER) to be like in terms of length and folds?

A) Longer with more folds.
B) Longer with fewer folds.
C) Shorter with more folds.
D) Shorter with fewer folds.

Answer 1

Cells tasked with impurity removal would exhibit a longer smooth endoplasmic reticulum with more folds to enhance their detoxification and lipid synthesis capacity.

Step-by-step explanation:

Longer with more folds. Cells that are responsible for removing more impurities would require an expansive network of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (sER) to increase their capacity for detoxification and lipid synthesis. The sER serves critical functions, including the synthesis of carbohydrates, lipids, and steroid hormones, and the detoxification of harmful substances.

When cells are actively engaged in detoxifying the body from drugs, environmental toxins, or metabolizing various compounds, they tend to have a larger and more intricate smooth endoplasmic reticulum network. This enhanced sER would manifest as being elongated and possessing more folds, or tubules, to provide a greater surface area for these biochemical processes to occur. For instance, liver cells, which play a crucial role in detoxification, display a significant amount of sER to accommodate their function.