Chromosome

In the nucleus of each cell, the DNA molecule is packaged into thread-like structures called chromosomes. Each chromosome is made up of DNA tightly coiled many times around proteins called histones that support its structure.

What is a Chromosome?

Chromosomes are the basic building blocks of life where the entire genome of an organism is essentially organized and stored in the form of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) which is present inside every cell making up that organism. A chromosome is a single chain of DNA that is coiled and super coiled to form dense thread-like pieces. The term chromosome is derived from the Greek words "chroma" or color and "some" or body and is so named because chromosomes have the ability to be stained with dyes.

Chromosome History

Chromosomes in Eukaryotes

Chromosomes in Prokaryotes

Chromosome Karyotype

Human Chromosomes

Chromosomal Abnormalities

Common Chromosomal Disorders (Chromosomes 1-5 and X and Y)

What is Chromosome 1?

What is Chromosome 2?

What is Chromosome 3?

What is Chromosome 4?

See more featured articles »

What is Chromosome 5?

What is the X Chromosome?

What is the Y Chromosome?

Latest Chromosome News and Research

EPFL and UTHSC researchers explore the interplay between genes, sex, growth, and age

Scientists led by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland are exploring the elaborate interplay between genes, sex, growth, and age and how they influence variation in longevity.

5 Oct 2022

Newly identified mechanism may explain why women are more vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease

Case Western Reserve University researchers have identified a mechanism in brain tissue that may explain why women are more vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease-;a finding that they say could help lead to new medicines to treat the disease.

4 Oct 2022

ASU scientists discover an unusual RNA biogenesis pathway

For the very first time, a study led by Julian Chen and his group in Arizona State University's School of Molecular Sciences and the Biodesign Institute's Center for the Mechanism of Evolution, has discovered an unprecedented pathway producing telomerase RNA from a protein-coding messenger RNA (mRNA).

3 Oct 2022

The sexual dimorphisms in the epidemiology and pathophysiology of obesity

Researchers reviewed the sexual dimorphisms in obesity.

30 Sep 2022

Yourgene Health Receives HSA approval for IONA Nx NIPT Workflow in Singapore

Yourgene Health plc (“Yourgene”, AIM: YGEN), a leading international molecular diagnostics group, today announced it has received Health Sciences Authority (HSA) approval for its IONA® Nx NIPT Workflow in Singapore.

From Yourgene Health 29 Sep 2022

Debunking ‘man flu’

Researchers debunk man flu based on a review of available evidence.

28 Sep 2022

New discovery changes the understanding of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by a genetic mutation and affects one in every 5,000 boys born. Because the affected gene is on the X chromosome, girls are carriers of the mutant gene but develop the disease only very rarely (one in about 50 million).

26 Sep 2022

Study finds telomeres can set damage thresholds for cancer cells above which they cannot continue to divide

A recent study hypothesized that ALT might compromise telomere integrity if not restricted appropriately.

21 Sep 2022

Study identifies genetic variation linked with posterior urethral valves in males

Genetic variation affecting developmental genes not previously linked to urethral development may contribute to a congenital condition that is the most common cause of kidney failure in young males, a study published today in eLife suggests.

20 Sep 2022

Cell's anti-aging structures can set the damage threshold a cancer cell can sustain, study shows

A new study led by Claus M. Azzalin, group leader at Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes- iMM and published today in the prestigious scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) shows, for the first time, that the cell's anti-aging structures – the telomeres – can set the damage threshold a cancer cell can sustain and above which cells cannot continue to divide and die.

20 Sep 2022

New mechanism may prevent the natural aging of immune cells

A new mechanism that slows down and may even prevent the natural aging of immune cells – one of the nine 'hallmarks of aging' – has been identified by an international team led by UCL scientists.

15 Sep 2022

Experimental drug prolongs survival, improves muscle function in mice severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine report that an experimental drug first developed to treat kidney disease prolongs survival and improves muscle function in mice genetically engineered to develop a severe form of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

13 Sep 2022

New technology reveals cellular changes across neural-epithelial-vascular complex in choroideremia

By combining traditional eye imaging techniques with adaptive optics - a technology that enhances imaging resolution - researchers at the National Eye Institute have shown for the first time how cells across different tissue layers in the eye are affected in people with choroideremia, a rare genetic disorder that leads to blindness.

13 Sep 2022

Study investigates the efficacy and safety of selpercatinib in a diverse group of patients

The highly selective RET inhibitor selpercatinib was well-tolerated and achieved durable objective responses across multiple tumor types in the Phase I/II LIBRETTO-001 trial, according to researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

13 Sep 2022

Phase I/II LIBRETTO-001 trial: RET inhibitor achieves durable objective responses across multiple tumors

12 Sep 2022

GnRH therapy could improve cognitive deficits in men with Down syndrome

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) therapy improves cognitive function in Down syndrome (DS) mouse models and male patients with DS, according to a new study.

1 Sep 2022

Gene variants associated with blood type may contribute to risk of early stroke

Gene variants associated with a person's blood type may be linked to their risk of early stroke, according to a new meta-analysis published in the August 31, 2022, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

1 Sep 2022

Brain activity patterns during sleep shed light on the neurobiology behind 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

The brain activity patterns during sleep shed light on the neurobiology behind a genetic condition called 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome (22q11.2DS) and could be used as a biomarker to detect the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders in people with 22q11.2DS.

30 Aug 2022

Genetic screening before pregnancy detects the risk in 44% of couples

Are would-be parents carrying a genetic risk of serious illnesses that they could potentially pass on to their children? In the USA, doctors recommend that couples have genetic screening before trying to conceive.

30 Aug 2022

Study addresses food texture challenges in the life of children with Down syndrome

Children with Down syndrome prefer food with a crispy, oily mouthfeel and don't like brittle or gooey foods. But those preferences can lead to a less nutritious diet, according to Washington State University research published in the Journal of Texture Studies.

29 Aug 2022