Ribosomes are produced by a structure within the cell called the nucleolus. The nucleolus is located inside the nucleus of eukaryotic cells and is responsible for assembling ribosomal RNA (rRNA) with proteins to form ribosomes.
Here’s a brief explanation of the process:
- Transcription: The DNA in the nucleus contains genes that code for rRNA. These genes are transcribed into rRNA within the nucleolus.
- Assembly: The rRNA is then combined with ribosomal proteins, which are synthesized in the cytoplasm and imported into the nucleolus.
- Export: Once assembled, the ribosomes are exported out of the nucleolus and into the cytoplasm, where they participate in protein synthesis.
In prokaryotic cells, which do not have a nucleus, ribosomes are assembled directly in the cytoplasm.