The Golgi apparatus, also known as the Golgi body or Golgi complex, is a membrane-bound organelle found in eukaryotic cells. Its primary function is to modify, sort, and package proteins and lipids that have been synthesized in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and are destined for secretion or transport to other parts of the cell.
Here is how the Golgi apparatus functions:
1. Proteins synthesized in the rough ER are transported in vesicles to the Golgi apparatus.
2. In the Golgi apparatus, these proteins undergo further modifications such as glycosylation (addition of sugar molecules) and phosphorylation (addition of phosphate groups).
3. Once modified, the proteins are sorted and packaged into vesicles, which are then directed to their final destinations, either inside the cell or for secretion outside the cell.
The Golgi apparatus is not involved in protein or lipid synthesis itself; this role is primarily carried out by the rough ER and smooth ER, respectively. It also does not contain digestive enzymes; that is the function of lysosomes. Additionally, while the Golgi apparatus plays a role in cell trafficking and secretion, it does not directly regulate cell division and growth.
Thus, the correct answer is that the Golgi apparatus packages and modifies proteins for secretion.