The document summarizes the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). It discusses that the ER was first observed in 1945 as a lace-like network in chick embryo cells. The ER is a network of tubules, vesicles and flattened sacs called cisternae found in the cytoplasm. There are two main types - the rough ER (RER) which is studded with ribosomes, and the smooth ER (SER) which lacks ribosomes. The RER synthesizes proteins and transports them to the Golgi apparatus in transport vesicles. The SER functions in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and detoxification in the liver. It also regulates calcium ion levels in muscle cells.