# Ribosome

A tiny part of a cell that builds proteins by joining small building blocks together.

Biology (school) · Part 01: Cells · Card 6 of 12 · Last updated 2026-10-19

## Analogy

A worker on a factory line who assembles products from a recipe.

## In practice

Cells that make lots of protein, like digestive gland cells, have many ribosomes.

## Practice

### Flashcards

- **What do ribosomes make?** Proteins.

## Questions people ask

### Where are ribosomes found in a cell?

Ribosomes float in the cytoplasm or sit on a network of membranes inside the cell. They are too small to see with a school light microscope. You need an electron microscope. Every living cell, including bacteria, contains ribosomes because every cell must make proteins.

### How do ribosomes make proteins?

The nucleus sends out a copy of a gene's instructions. A ribosome reads this copy and joins amino acids together in the correct order, like threading beads onto a string by following a pattern. The finished chain folds into a protein with a particular shape and job.

## Related concepts

- [Cell](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-1/biology-school-part-1-concept-1)
- [Nucleus](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-1/biology-school-part-1-concept-2)
- [Cytoplasm](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-1/biology-school-part-1-concept-3)
- [Cell membrane](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-1/biology-school-part-1-concept-4)

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