Ribosomes play a vital role in cellular function, primarily in protein synthesis. These complex molecular machines are found in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells and are responsible for translating messenger RNA (mRNA) into polypeptide chains, which eventually fold into functional proteins. Ribosomes facilitate the assembly of amino acids in the correct order, based on the genetic instructions carried by mRNA. They can be either free-floating in the cytoplasm or bound to the endoplasmic reticulum, contributing to the cell's overall functionality by producing proteins necessary for various cellular processes.