shRNA is a short-hairpin sequence within the LTR regions of the lentiviral construct. Upon integration of the LTR to LTR area into the host genome, the shRNA is produced by the cell and shuttled out into the cytoplasm where it is cleaved by the enzyme complex Dicer. Once this cleavage is complete, one strand of this double-stranded molecule is loaded into the RISC (RNA Induced Silencing Complex), where is seeks complementary mRNA targets for degradation.