A cell with a predominance of smooth endoplasmic reticulum is likely specialized to .
A) store large quantities of water
B) import and export large quantities of protein
C) actively secrete large quantities of protein
D) synthesize large quantities of lipids

D) synthesize large quantities of lipids

Explanation:

The basic function of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (so called because of absence of ribosomes attached to the membrane) is secretion and transport of lipids, phospholipds  and steroids in cells.

They are mostly concentrated  in cells of testes, sebaceous glands of the skin and ovaries.  It is also present in muscle cells where it regulate ca+ concentration  needed for muscles contraction.

it plays active role in glucose metabolism, steroid metabolism. detoxification of some product of metabolisms in the body. In addition it contains enzymes involved in  the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources -gluconeogenesis .needed for muscles survival during glucose depletion.

When endoplasmic reticulum are attached by some ribosomes which makes their membrane rough, they are called rough endoplasmic reticulum. They are concerned with transport of proteins synthesized  by ribosomes.

cells use diffusion to get substances in and out of themselves. that diffusion will occur across the cell membrane or the outer covering of the cell. because we are talking about the surface of the cell, surface area and volume are  important factors here. as a cell increases in size, its surface area and volume increase as well.  we call that the surface area to volume ratio (sa: vol).  but the catch is that  volume increases at a greater rate than surface  area. in other words, as a cell gets bigger, the sa: vol gets smaller. so a really small cell like bacteria is mostly cell membrane (surface) with very little contents (volume). a really big cell like an egg, is mostly insides with a super thin membrane. so what ends up happening is that the cell cannot efficiently diffuse all of the stuff it needs in/out to survive. therefore cell size is limited to about 100mm. so how do we make organisms bigger than 100mm? cells divide! by dividing and becoming multicellular, organisms are able to grow!   check out the diagrams i attached to see the effect of sa: vol. i hope this ! good luck!