The key difference is that the Golgi body (or Golgi apparatus) is the entire organelle, while cisternae are its individual, flattened, membrane-bound sacs. Think of it this way: the Golgi body is like a stack of pancakes, and each pancake is a cisterna.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
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Golgi Body (or Golgi Apparatus/Golgi Complex): This is the complete organelle found in eukaryotic cells. Its primary function is to process, package, and sort proteins and lipids synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) before they are sent to their final destinations (e.g., lysosomes, plasma membrane, or secretion outside the cell).
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Cisternae: These are the individual, flattened, membrane-enclosed sacs that make up the Golgi body. They are stacked on top of each other, and each stack typically contains 4-8 cisternae. The cisternae are not directly connected but communicate via transport vesicles. Different cisternae within the Golgi stack contain different enzymes, allowing for sequential modification of cargo molecules as they move through the Golgi. The Golgi apparatus has three main compartments: the cis face (entry point, closest to the ER), the medial region (middle), and the trans face (exit point, closest to the plasma membrane).
Analogy:
| Feature | Golgi Body | Cisternae |
|---|---|---|
| Description | The entire packaging and sorting factory. | Individual workstations within the factory. |
| Function | To process, package, and sort proteins and lipids. | To carry out specific modifications to cargo molecules. |
| Relationship | The whole. | Parts of the whole. |
In essence, cisternae are the building blocks that constitute the Golgi body, and they collaborate to perform the Golgi's essential functions in cellular processing and transport.
