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

Brain stimulation at 40Hz boosts memory and neurogenesis in Down syndrome mice

Study provides new evidence that sensory stimulation of gamma-frequency brain rhythm may promote broad-based restorative neurological health response.

25 Apr 2025

Malaria infection linked to childhood cancer risk

New data published in The Journal of Immunology uncovered the role of Plasmodium falciparum infection (malaria) in the development of Burkitt lymphoma (BL), the most common childhood cancer in equatorial Africa and New Guinea.

25 Apr 2025

Research offers new hope in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat to public health. When antibiotics don't work, we risk not being able to treat many types of infections and people who would previously have been cured, can die.

23 Apr 2025

Chromosomal rearrangements drive color evolution in stick insects

Understanding the material basis of adaptive evolution has been a central goal in biology dating back to at least the time of Darwin.

18 Apr 2025

Zinc found in glassware may impair embryo development in IVF

The research team discovered that glassware used to manipulate and culture fertilized eggs in the fields of assisted reproductive technology (ART), livestock farming, and basic research contains toxic substances that interfere with the development of fertilized eggs (embryos).

18 Apr 2025

New clues on how cells protect chromosome ends during division

A new study from Weill Cornell Medicine provides insights into how cells maintain the tiny end caps of chromosomes as they divide, a key process in keeping cells healthy.

17 Apr 2025

Researchers uncover a new genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorders

A seminal study from researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and their collaborators in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, and Iceland has uncovered a new genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).

10 Apr 2025

Rapid growth of blood cancer driven by a single genetic ‘HIT’

A new study has unveiled when chronic myeloid leukaemia, a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, arises in life and how fast it grows.

10 Apr 2025

Genetic fusion drives unexpectedly fast growth in chronic myeloid leukemia

A new study has unveiled when chronic myeloid leukemia, a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, arises in life and how fast it grows.

9 Apr 2025

New bacterial evolutionary map could lead to precision treatments for infections

The first-of-its-kind in-depth bacterial evolutionary map could pave the way for the development of precision treatments for certain antibiotic-resistant infections, such as urinary tract infections.

3 Apr 2025

Study explores how sex chromosomes and hormones influence immune responses

Women have a higher proportion of key immune cells between puberty and menopause, which may be linked to the sex hormone estrogen and explain why they are less susceptible to certain infectious diseases than men, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL.

27 Mar 2025

New chromatin tracing method unlocks DNA looping process in high resolution

Among the many marvels of life is the cell's ability to divide and thus enable organisms to grow and renew themselves.

24 Mar 2025

People from families with exceptional longevity have lower risk of peripheral artery disease

A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) on February 25, 2025, Volume 17, Issue 2, titled "Epidemiology and genetic determination of measures of peripheral vascular health in the Long Life Family Study."

12 Mar 2025

Study uncovers how transposons use telomeres for survival in bacteria

Transposons, or "jumping genes" – DNA segments that can move from one part of the genome to another – are key to bacterial evolution and the development of antibiotic resistance.

7 Mar 2025

Researchers discover why scleroderma affects women more than men

Two new studies led by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) have uncovered key biological mechanisms driving systemic sclerosis (SSc), or scleroderma – a rare and often devastating autoimmune disease that causes fibrosis (tissue hardening) and inflammation.

6 Mar 2025

Study reveals how silent X chromosome enhances female brain resilience

In a surprise, work in mice has found that the dormant X chromosome in females can reawaken late in life and turn on genes that keep the brain healthy.

6 Mar 2025

Lactylation in the heart reveals key insights into cardiac regeneration

This study is led by Dr. Xiaodong Luan (Institute of Clinical Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital), Dr. Shuyang Zhang (Department of Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital) and Dr. He Huang (Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences).

28 Feb 2025

Advancements in molecular diagnostics for hematopoietic and lymphocytic neoplasms

Hematopoietic and lymphocytic neoplasms (HLNs) are a diverse group of malignancies affecting blood and lymphatic systems, with outcomes varying from manageable conditions to fatal diseases.

27 Feb 2025

Discovery paves way for new hepatitis B treatment

In their effort to answer a decades-old biological question about how the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is able to establish infection of liver cells, research led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), Weill Cornell Medicine, and The Rockefeller University identified a vulnerability that opens the door to new treatments.

22 Feb 2025

Breakthrough discovery unveils potential treatment for hepatitis B

In their effort to answer a decades-old biological question about how the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is able to establish infection of liver cells, research led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), Weill Cornell Medicine and The Rockefeller University identified a vulnerability that opens the door to new treatments.

20 Feb 2025