The endoplasmic reticulum can either be smooth or rough, and in general its function is to produce proteins for the rest of the cell to function. The rough endoplasmic reticulum has on it ribosomes, which are small, round organelles whose function it is to make those proteins.
What cells have a rough endoplasmic reticulum?
rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), series of connected flattened sacs, part of a continuous membrane organelle within the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, that plays a central role in the synthesis of proteins.
Where are rough endoplasmic reticulum found?
ROUGH ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM
Rough ER is found throughout the cell but the density is higher near the nucleus and the Golgi apparatus. Ribosomes on the rough endoplasmic reticulum are called 'membrane bound' and are responsible for the assembly of many proteins. This process is called translation.