Ribosomes are cell structures that exist in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Ribosomes are responsible for protein synthesis, which is an essential activity in all living cells. Ribosomes are responsible for the translation of messenger RNA (mRNA) into proteins.
Prokaryotic ribosomes consist of two subunits: a small subunit (30S) and a large subunit (50S), combining to form the functional 70S ribosome. Eukaryotic ribosomes are larger and more complex compared to prokaryotic ribosomes. They are often referred to as 80S ribosomes, comprising a small subunit (40S) and a large subunit (60S), totaling 80S.