Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER)

Definition

The RER is an organelle found in eukaryotic cells that's studded with ribosomes on its surface, giving it a 'rough' appearance. It's involved in protein synthesis and quality control.

Related terms

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (SER): This is similar to RER but lacks ribosomes. It's involved in lipid synthesis and detoxification processes.

Ribosome:

A tiny machine inside cells that makes proteins from amino acids using instructions from mRNA.

Protein Synthesis:

The process by which individual cells construct proteins.