Exon

An exon is a segment of a gene that contains information used to produce proteins. Genes are made up of DNA, which includes exons and other regions called introns. During the process of gene expression, exons are spliced together after the introns are removed, creating a continuous code that guides the cell in making a specific protein. Think of exons as the functional "recipes" within the gene that directly determine the structure and function of proteins essential for various biological processes.