The gene discovery is the first important step in greater understanding, opening the doors to improved treatments and hopefully, prevention and cure. While we inherit genes from our parents, each person has their own unique genetic makeup, different from everyone else. Genes combine to code for hair color, height, facial and personality features and a million other characteristics that make us all different. Scientists who study genes and how they function are called geneticists. Each cell has thousands of parts that all work together like a complex microscopic factory.
Every cell has a nucleus , which is the cell's control center.
It contains 23 pairs of structures called chromosomes , made up of genes. Nearly every cell in the body contains an identical set of chromosomes. One member of each of your chromosome pairs comes from your father, the other from your mother. Each chromosome pair contains 4,000 or more genes Each individual has approximately 100,000 genes We can look at cells, nuclei and chromosomes through a microscope. However, genes are too small to be seen even with the most powerful microscope.