What is the Difference Between Cisternae and Tubules?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Cisternae and tubules are distinct regions within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that have different functions and structures:
- Cisternae are found in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and are involved in protein packaging and modification. They are comprised of extended regions of parallel flat membrane bilayers that are stacked over each other, with regions of membrane curvature found only at their edges. Cisternae are better suited for ribosome binding and are enriched in proteins associated with the translocation machinery.
- Tubules are found in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and are involved in the synthesis and storage of lipids. ER tubules have high membrane curvature at their cross-section.
Similarities between cisternae and tubules include:
- Both are present within eukaryotic cells.
- They are located in association with the endoplasmic reticulum.
- Both are involved in the synthesis of different molecules.
- Both cisternae and tubules provide passage for the movement of different molecules to their respective destinations.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Cisternae and Tubules? Comparative Table: Cisternae vs Tubules
Comparative Table: Cisternae vs Tubules
The main difference between cisternae and tubules lies in their location within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and their functions. Here is a table comparing the two:
Feature | Cisternae | Tubules |
---|---|---|
Location | Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER) | Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER) |
Function | Involved in the packaging and modification of proteins | Involved in the synthesis and storage of lipids |
Structure | Flattened disks | Tubular structures |
Cisternae are found in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and are involved in the packaging and modification of proteins. On the other hand, tubules are found in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and are involved in the synthesis and storage of lipids.
Read more:
- Cristae vs Cisternae
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- Sieve Cells vs Sieve Tubes
- Cytoplasm vs Cytoskeleton
- Tubular Reabsorption vs Tubular Secretion
- Seminiferous Tubules vs Leydig Cells
- Cilia vs Microvilli
- Cisternal Maturation vs Vesicular Transport
- Vacuoles vs Vesicles
- Lamellae vs Lacunae
- Proximal vs Distal Convoluted Tubule
- Flagella vs Cilia
- Cilia Stereocilia vs Microvilli
- Sarcolemma vs Sarcoplasmic Reticulum
- Centriole vs Centrosome
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- Actin Filaments vs Microtubules
- Cytoplasm vs Cytosol
- Simple Squamous vs Simple Cuboidal