The structure and function of the Golgi apparatus: a hundred years of questions

Over the last century, the Golgi apparatus has attracted the attention of researchers world-wide. This highly variable and polymorphic organelle plays a central role in intracellular membrane traffic. Not only does it receive all the secretory material and membrane synthesized by the endoplasmic reticulum and modifies these products by glycosylation, but also packages them and sends them in vesicular carriers to their correct destinations. It is also capable of the synthesis of complex polysaccharides used for building cell walls, a feature unique for higher plants. Yet, the current models of Golgi function are based on those established for yeast and mammalian cells and may not be completely relevant to plants. This review is an attempt to summarize the current knowledge of the plant Golgi apparatus and, where possible, to discuss the applicability of the current models of Golgi function to the plant cell.