The purpose of ribosomes in cells is to produce or synthesize proteins. Proteins are used in cells to make enzymes or to support some other functions of the cell. Ribosomes can be found on either the endoplasmic reticulum or floating around the cytoplasm of the cell. Ribosomes look like little spheres or bumps in the endoplasmic reticulum or cytoplasm. In actuality the ribosomes are not just one little ball but are made up of 2 parts called the 60-S and the 40-S or the large subunit and the small subunit.
