Jazmean and Chigozie's Op-Ed

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum and Chloroplast for President and Secretary of 

Energy: The Cleaner Vote

Times are rough nowadays. We are still reeling from the effects of a recession, job growth is slow, and the price for goods is increasing rapidly. All of these can make the cells within your body very stressed, and a stressed cell is not a happy cell. During your time of need, you need organelles that are going to have your back and keep everything functioning smoothly and efficiently. This is where we come in: the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum and the Chloroplast! We are two organelles that are key in keeping Eukaryotic cells in a state of homeostasis. Our functions include providing the cell with food, energy, and lipids, detoxifying the cell, and transporting energy to other cells to be broken down and metabolized. We need your support to become President and Secretary of Energy of all the cells. Our plan is to create a greener, cleaner, and more efficient cell without sacrificing ATP in the process. Supporting us will guarantee a better cell!

I, the Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum, am the main producer of lipids within a cell. Lipids are used for a variety of things, most importantly for the formation of the plasmic membrane. Without lipids, there would be no plasmic membrane which means they would be no protective barrier for the other organelles within the cell. Lipids can also be used a storage container for large amounts of energy that are not used by cells right away. When broken down, these lipids can provide cells with 9 kcal/gram of energy compared to the 4 kcal/gram of energy given off by proteins and carbohydrates. I can also make the lipids that are key in transporting fatty acid chains to the Mitochondria to be broken down and metabolized for energy. Unlike other organelles, I am composed of a lot of tubes that are folded in different ways. This allows for an increase of surface area which is great for storing molecules and important enzymes that are can be used as a catalysis for certain processes within a cell. I also play an important role in detoxifying the cell. When other organelles are busy letting bad things get into the cells, I am the one who cleans up behind them and breaks down those harmful substances into products that are safe enough for the cell to use. This function is very important in the liver of humans as the liver is the main site of detoxification for them.
So let's recap. I make one of the most important macromolecules for the cell and I make sure that the cell stays clean and rid of harmful substances. I am the evolutionary by product of the cell membrane so I've been here for awhile. Why not vote for me for President?

I, the Chloroplast, am the producer of food and energy in a plant cell. My most important function is to make food through photosynthesis for the whole cell. I literally ‘go green’ and efficiently use solar energy to prepare food in the form of sugars. The food and ATP I produce powers all the organelles in the cell. I give the other organelles the energy to carry out the instructions from the Nucleus. Many of my critics enjoy comparing me to my long lost cousin, the Mitochondria. Yes, I am like the Mitochondria. We both produce ATP for the United Republic of Cells. However, I would be a better candidate for Secretary of Energy because I am more versatile. Unlike the Mitochondria, I can work in multiple conditions. The Mitochondria can only produce ATP by using oxygen. I can produce ATP with AND without the use of oxygen.

While other organelles depend on me, I do not depend on any other organelle. I survived on my own as a well-functioning organelle in some of the most extreme conditions on Early Earth before I joined the United Republic of Cells. I had to survive only on what I was made of; I could not depend on any other organelles as many other modern organelles do. While I am self-sufficient, I can also work well with others. Over the past years, I have worked with the Nucleus, Cell Membrane, Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum, and Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum to protect the United Republic of Cells from pathogens.

Without me, plants would not be able to survive. Plants produce oxygen for many living organisms, so many living organisms would also die. If I were to become Secretary of Energy, I would help develop more efficient ways for cells to produce energy for all cells, not just plants cells! Vote me for Secretary of Energy if you do not want the Earth to look like a barren wasteland! Vote today for tomorrow’s energy!

A vote for Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum and Chloroplast is a vote for

 a better cell and a better future! Vote today!

Work Cited
http://bscb.org/learning-resources/softcell-e-learning/endoplasmic-reticulum-rough-and-smooth/
http://www.sciences360.com/index.php/functions-of-lipids-in-human-cells-12883/
http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/smooth-er-definition-functions-structure.html#lesson