Chromosomes consist of condensed, bundled segments of DNA, which are tightly folded and woven to create the traditional shape of a chromosome, an X. A human chromosome contains only one molecule of DNA, and, if stretched out to see it’s full length, is 2 cm. long when observed under a microscope. DNA in the Chromosomes/Chromatins is what allows them to be carriers for genes that determine the specific traits given to the offspring.
An uncondensed chromosome is termed as a chromatin where the DNA are not neatly folded anymore and are wrapped around histones, similar to that of a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, the DNA being the spaghetti and histones being the meatballs. The process of condensing chromatins into chromosomes includes 3 phases: Interphase (phase in which the centromere of the chromosome is developed), Prophase, and Metaphase (phase in which the chromosome is developing it’s, but not always, X shape). There are two different types of chromatin: Eurachromatins, which consist mostly of active DNA, and Heterochromatins, which consist of inactive DNA. Heterochromatins can further be categorized into two types: Constitutive, which is never expressed (as a protein), and Facultative, which is sometimes expressed as a protein.
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were fully composed, as well as altered images and diagrams, by Josh Eisma (2002), unless otherwise specified.
