How Many Chromosomes Do Humans Have?
Each cell in the human body generally contains 23 pairs of chromosomes. So overall, a cell contains 46 chromosomes. Out of these 23 pairs, 22 are autosomes; they are the same in males and females. However, the last pair is the sex chromosome that varies according to your sex. For females, these are two copies of X chromosomes, whereas, in males, there is one X chromosome and one Y chromosome.
What Are Chromosomes?
Made of protein and Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), a chromosome is a thread-like structure found inside the cell nucleus of plant and animal cells. It is passed from parents to offspring, which helps transfer DNA containing genes from the parent body to the infant body. These genes make you different from all other human beings in the world.
What Do Chromosomes Do?
Chromosome helps in binding up DNA tightly around histones (proteins). The spiral structure of the Chromosome helps it to hold DNA and other elements tightly. DNA molecules are very long threads and cannot fit into the nucleus if not compressed. So, Chromosome helps in compressing the DNA as long as 6 feet into a tiny spiral structure.
During the lifetime of an organism, cells must constantly divide for proper functioning and growth of the body. During these divisions, the DNA is to be transferred to every new cell. So, Chromosome makes sure that this activity is taking place flawlessly. However, defects may still happen, which can change the complete stature of a human being.
