Small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) are essential components of the cellular machinery involved in the processing of pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA). They are made up of small nuclear RNA (snRNA) and proteins, working together to form complexes that help splice introns from pre-mRNA, allowing for the production of mature messenger RNA (mRNA) that can be translated into proteins. These snRNPs play a crucial role in the spliceosome, a large complex responsible for the splicing process. By recognizing specific sequences in pre-mRNA, snRNPs ensure that the correct segments are removed and the remaining exons are joined together, which is vital for proper gene expression and cellular function.