Genetic Diseases
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Each cell in the human body contains about 25,000 to 35,000 genes, which carry information that determines the traits. Traits are characteristics children inherit from their parents; this means their parents pass some of their characteristics on to children’s through genes. Genes aren't just in humans — all animals and plants have genes, too.
Genes hang out all lined up on thread-like things called chromosomes. Chromosomes come in pairs, and there are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of genes in one chromosome. The chromosomes and genes are made of DNA, which is short for deoxyribonucleic acid.
Chromosomes are found inside cells, the very small units that make up all living things. A cell is so tiny that we can only see it through the lens of a strong microscope, and there are billions of cells in your body. Most cells have one nucleus. The nucleus, which is sort of egg-shaped, is like the brain of the cell. It tells every part of the cell what to do. It contains our chromosomes and genes. As tiny as it is, the nucleus has more information in it than the biggest dictionary you've ever seen. In humans, a cell nucleus contains 46 individual chromosomes or 23 pairs of chromosomes. Half of these chromosomes come from one parent and half come from the other parent.
Each gene carries blueprints — the instructions — for making proteins in the cell. Proteins are the building blocks for everything in the body. Bones, teeth, hair, earlobes, muscles, blood, etc. all are made up of proteins. Those proteins help our bodies grow, work properly, and stay healthy. Scientists today estimate that each gene in the body may make as many as 10 different proteins. That's over 300,000 proteins.
Researchers think genes that have changed in some way, also known as altered (or mutated) genes, may be partly to blame for lung problems, cancer, and many other illnesses.
Let’s take the gene that helps the body make haemoglobin, for example....
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