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rough endoplasmic reticulum

noun

(Abbreviation: RER)

(Science: Cell biology)

an endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a eukaryotic organelle made up of a system of membranous tubes and sacs, that is studded with ribosomes on its surface giving it a rough appearance under the microscope (hence its name).

However, the ribosomes are not always bound with the ER. They bind to it when it starts to synthesize membrane-bound proteins destined for sorting.