Golgi apparatus

/ gōl′jē /

1. An organelle in eukaryotic cells that stores and modifies proteins for specific functions and prepares them for transport to other parts of the cell. The Golgi apparatus is usually near the cell nucleus and consists of a stack of flattened sacs. Proteins secreted by the endoplasmic reticulum are transported into and across the Golgi apparatus by vesicles and may be combined with sugars to form glycoproteins. The modified products are stored in vesicles (such a lysosomes) for later use or transported by vesicles to the plasma membrane, where they are excreted from the cell. The Golgi apparatus is named for its identifier, Italian cytologist Camillo Golgi (1843–1926). It is also called the Golgi body or, in plant cells, the dictyosome .
2. ◆ Collectively in the cell, these organelles are known as the Golgi complex .
3. See more at cell