[3][4] Cytoplasmic ribosomes, organelles that catalyze protein synthesis, consist of a small 40S subunit and a large 60S subunit.

Together these subunits are composed of 4 RNA species and approximately 80 structurally distinct proteins.

This gene encodes a ribosomal protein that is a component of the 60S subunit.

Although this gene has been referred to as ribosomal protein L44 (RPL44), its official name is ribosomal protein L36a (RPL36A).

As is typical for genes encoding ribosomal proteins, there are multiple processed pseudogenes of this gene dispersed through the genome.