Question

How does endoplasmic reticulum help detox?

Answer 1

Endoplasmic reticulum

1. Endoplasmic reticulated is of two types- smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) and rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER).
2. SER is involved in both lipid synthesis and certain detoxification activities.
3. It contains certain detoxifying enzymes.
4. These enzymes remove lipid-soluble drugs and harmful metabolites, which are water-insoluble.
5. They make the substances water-soluble so that they can easily be excreted out in the urine.
6. This is why hepatocytes contain numerous SER.