The endoplasmic reticulum is one of the most intriguing and fascinating organelles. It is found in all eukaryotic cells and performs an amazing number of different functions. The organelle was named by Keith Porter in 1953 on the basis of observations made with the electron microscope on tissue culture cells.
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a large, dynamic structure that serves many roles in the cell including biosynthesis of cholesterol, membrane biogenesis and detoxification of many proteins.