One human gene is transcribed into pre-mRNA in both nerve cells and muscle cells, yet the two tissues build different versions of the encoded protein. Which process explains the two products?

Core Concept

The primary transcript contains every exon and intron of the gene. Spliceosome assembly responds to regulatory proteins present in each cell type, allowing different exon sets to be retained in the mature message. Nerve and muscle cells therefore export distinct mRNAs from one gene and translate related but different proteins. This mechanism expands proteome diversity and supports tissue specialization.