what function do ribosomes have within a cell?

Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis in cells. They perform the translation process, where they read the genetic code from messenger RNA (mRNA) and use it to synthesize proteins. Ribosomes play a crucial role in coordinating the synthesis of proteins by joining amino acids together to form polypeptide chains, which then fold into functional proteins. They are found both freely floating in the cytoplasm and attached to the endoplasmic reticulum.