**Core Concept**
Okazaki fragments are short, discontinuous DNA segments synthesized during the lagging strand replication in eukaryotic cells. These fragments are essential for DNA replication, allowing the enzyme DNA polymerase to synthesize the lagging strand in short, manageable pieces. This process is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the genome.

**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
During DNA replication, the leading strand is synthesized continuously by DNA polymerase, whereas the lagging strand is synthesized discontinuously in short segments called Okazaki fragments. Each Okazaki fragment is approximately 1000-2000 nucleotides long and is separated by a RNA primer. The enzyme DNA ligase seals the gaps between these fragments, forming a continuous strand. The lagging strand is then proofread and edited to ensure the accuracy of the genetic code.

**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
* **Option A:** This option is incorrect as it does not accurately describe the function of Okazaki fragments.
* **Option B:** This option is incorrect as it is a characteristic of the leading strand, not the lagging strand.
* **Option C:** This option is incorrect as it is a characteristic of the RNA primer, not Okazaki fragments.

**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
The discovery of Okazaki fragments revolutionized our understanding of DNA replication and earned the Japanese biochemist Reiji Okazaki the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1966.

**Correct Answer: D. Okazaki fragments are short, discontinuous DNA segments synthesized during the lagging strand replication in eukaryotic cells.**