A scientist was studying the production of a protein that was released by an animal cell into a culture medium, she found that the protein only appeared in the culture medium after the added a few drops of a hormone to the cell. Before adding the hormone, she labelled the protein inside the cell with a fluorescent dye and looked at the cell under the lgiht microscope. The dye was seen in flattened sheets and tube. like structures throughout the cell, and in stacks of flattened sac-like structures. after adding the hormone, the dye was aslo seen as small dots clustered against the cell membrane, Which statement most likely explains these observations?

Options

A. The hormone stimulates protein synthesis in the cell vacuole, the protein is then passed to the Golgi apparatus, and eventually passess through the cell membrane by passive diffusion.
B. The hormone triggers the synthesis of the protein in the endoplasmic reticulum and it is then secreted outside of the cell via channel proteins in the cell membrane
C. The protein is made in the endoplasmic reticulum, is passed to the Golgi appartus and is secreted through hormone-stimulated exocytosis.
D. The protein is made in the Golgi apparatus, is passed to the endoplasmic recticulum and is secreted through hormone-stimulated pinocytosis.

Explanation

To explain the observations made by the scientist in the study of protein production and release in animal cells, we can break down the process step by step:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Protein Production**:
- The scientist is studying an animal cell that produces a specific protein. This protein is synthesized within the cell before it is released into the culture medium.

**Hint**: Remember that proteins are synthesized in cells through processes involving ribosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum.

2. **Labeling the Protein**:
- Before adding the hormone, the scientist labels the protein with a fluorescent dye. This allows her to visualize the protein's location within the cell.

**Hint**: Fluorescent dyes are often used in biological studies to track the movement and location of proteins.

3. **Observing the Protein's Location**:
- Under the microscope, the fluorescent dye shows the protein distributed in flattened sheets and tube-like structures, which are likely the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and Golgi apparatus. These organelles are involved in protein synthesis and processing.

**Hint**: The endoplasmic reticulum is responsible for the synthesis of proteins, while the Golgi apparatus modifies and packages them.

4. **Role of the Hormone**:
- The addition of the hormone triggers a response in the cell. Hormones often act as signaling molecules that can initiate various cellular processes, including the secretion of proteins.

**Hint**: Hormones can bind to specific receptors on the cell membrane, leading to a cascade of events inside the cell.

5. **Change in Protein Location After Hormone Addition**:
- After the hormone is added, the scientist observes small dots of the fluorescent dye clustered against the cell membrane. This indicates that the protein is being transported to the cell membrane for secretion.

**Hint**: The clustering of the dye at the cell membrane suggests that the proteins are packaged into vesicles for exocytosis.

6. **Conclusion**:
- The observations suggest that the hormone stimulated the secretion of the protein from the cell. The protein was synthesized in the ER, processed in the Golgi apparatus, and then transported to the cell membrane for release into the culture medium.

**Hint**: The process of moving proteins to the cell membrane for release is known as exocytosis, which is often regulated by hormones.

### Final Statement:
The most likely explanation for the observations is that the hormone triggered the secretion of the protein by facilitating its transport to the cell membrane, where it was released into the culture medium. The initial presence of the fluorescent dye in the ER and Golgi apparatus indicates the stages of protein synthesis and processing before secretion.