Science Projects on Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
- SER science projects can encompass the design and creation of the SER with different materials to bring to life the look, function and role of the SER within the cell. Once you have an idea what the SER does and what it looks like, you can opt to use clay or craft dough and paint. Recreate the smooth endoplasmic reticulum as well as its surrounding organelles in the cell to help explain the functions of the SER and how it relates to the other organelles.
- If you're looking into science projects on smooth endoplasmic reticulum, why not carry out research on the functions of the SER and highlight the differences between the looks and functions of the SER and the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)? You'll understand more about the role of the SER in the cell and can base your project on the contrast between the rough and the smooth varieties. Here, you can build the RER and SER to highlight their differences.
- One of the functions of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum is drug detoxification. Liposoluble substances can penetrate a cell and cause damage if they are absorbed into the system. However, the SER prevents this from happening by detoxifying the toxic liposoluble substances. For your science project, you can prove this scientifically by dropping a minute amount of a toxic substance into a group of prokaryote cells (no SER) and eukaryote cells (SER-present) and observe under a microscope. Test for toxins after every hour and record your results. This project idea is quite advanced and ideal for high school kids whose key interests lie in biology and who have access to very powerful microscopes.
- Science projects involving the smooth endoplasmic reticulum meant for kids mostly involve the design and formation of the SER. This is because stronger and more detailed experiments rely on the use of an expensive electron microscope. Hence, projects of this nature are quite rare. If you succeed in doing one, you're bound to get attention for it.