Exon skipping

Exon skipping is a biological process that occurs during gene expression, specifically in the production of proteins from DNA. Genes are made up of segments called exons, which are important for producing proteins, and introns, which are non-coding regions. Exon skipping happens when certain exons are deliberately excluded or "skipped" during the RNA processing phase. This can lead to the production of a shorter or altered version of a protein. Researchers study exon skipping to understand genetic diseases and to develop potential therapies, particularly for conditions like Duchenne muscular dystrophy, where skipping specific exons may help restore functional proteins.