mRNA

mRNA, or messenger RNA, is a molecule that acts as a temporary copy of genetic instructions from DNA within cells. It carries the specific code needed to make proteins—essential molecules that perform most functions in the body. When a cell needs a certain protein, it transcribes the relevant DNA segment into mRNA, which then travels to the cell’s protein-making machinery. There, it guides the assembly of the protein by providing the instructions. In essence, mRNA is the cellular messenger that ensures the correct proteins are produced based on the genetic information stored in our DNA.