Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) represent pools of mortgages bundled together and sold as securities. The document discusses the process of securitizing mortgages by pooling them and selling shares to investors. It describes the major players in the MBS market such as issuers, investors, and regulators. It also discusses the different types of MBS including those issued by government agencies like Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, as well as non-agency MBS issued by private entities.