Question: what is the difference between the rough and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum?
Answer: The most basic difference between RER and SER is the presence of ribosomes. When ribosomes attach to the surface of an ER, it gives a characteristic rough appearance; hence it is called Rough ER. On the other hand, a smooth ER does not have ribosomes on its surface. It possesses ribosomes attached to its membrane.