Transcriptional activation is the process by which specific proteins, known as transcription factors, bind to DNA and promote the transcription of genes into messenger RNA (mRNA). This process is essential for gene expression, allowing cells to produce the proteins necessary for various functions and responses. During transcriptional activation, the binding of transcription factors to regulatory regions of the gene, such as enhancers or promoters, facilitates the recruitment of the enzyme RNA polymerase. This enzyme then synthesizes mRNA, which carries the genetic information from the DNA to the ribosomes, where proteins are made.