The role of the cytoskeleton in the structure and function of the Golgi apparatus

Abstract

Cellular organelles in mammalian cells are individualized membrane entities that often become spherical. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus (GA) are exceptions to this rule, as they are respectively made up of a continuous tubular network and a pile of flat disks. Their unique shapes are regulated by molecular elements (Kepes et al. 2005; Levine and Rabouille 2005), including the cytoskeleton. All cytoskeletal elements, together with cytoskeleton-associated motors and non-motor proteins, have a role in the subcellular positioning, biogenesis and function of most organelles, being particularly relevant in the GA.