Golgi Apparatus

Golgi apparatus, also called Golgi complex or Golgi body, membrane-bound organelle of eukaryotic cells (cells with clearly defined nuclei) that is made up of a series of flattened, stacked pouches called cisternae. The Golgi apparatus is responsible for transporting, modifying, and packaging proteins and lipids into vesicles for delivery to targeted destinations. It is located in the cytoplasm next to the endoplasmic reticulum and near the cell nucleus. While many types of cells contain only one or several Golgi apparatus, plant cells can contain hundreds.

Secretory proteins and glycoproteins, cell membrane proteins, lysosomal proteins, and some glycolipids all pass through the Golgi apparatus at some point in their maturation. In plant cells, much of the cell wall material passes through the Golgi as well.