Final answer:
The secretory pathway involves the synthesis of proteins in the RER, their transportation to the Golgi apparatus, modification and sorting in the Golgi, and packaging into secretory vesicles. These vesicles either deposit their contents into other cell parts or fuse with the plasma membrane and release their contents outside the cell.
Step-by-step explanation:
The secretory pathway begins with the synthesis of proteins in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER). The proteins are then transported from the RER to the Golgi apparatus by transport vesicles. In the Golgi, the proteins are modified and sorted before being packaged into secretory vesicles. These vesicles then bud from the trans face of the Golgi and either deposit their contents into other cell parts or fuse with the plasma membrane and release their contents outside the cell through a process called exocytosis.