THE FUNCTION OF A RIBOSOME

What Really Is A Ribosome?

A Ribosomes are the sites of protein synthesis. The RNA is brought to the ribosome, and by a process called Translation, the RNA is used to make a seguence of amino Acids. Some cells like a bacteria cell may have a few thousand Ribosomes, in the human liver cell there are a few million Ribosomes. Ribosomes are found both in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes.

How Big is a Ribosome, and Where can it be found?

The average ribosome is about .02 nanometers. Ribosomes can be found in many places. They can be found in the cytosol. If they are located here they can be called free Ribosomes. They can also be found in the endoplasmic reticulum. They are called bound ribosomes if they are found here. The endoplasmic reticulum is called "rough" if there are ribosomes in it.

What makes Ribosomes?

In the Eukaryotes ribosomes are made in the nucleus by RNA and proteins produced in the cytoplasm. The ribosomes made by Prokaryotes are smaller than those made by Eukaryotes.

After you have read this, you can go back to the previous page tp learn more about the ribosome.

This page was brought to you be Leo Ludwick. galileo@maui.net