Just as genes come in pairs, chromosomes also come in pairs. Each cell in our body has 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46. These are found in a part of the cell called the nucleus. One member of each pair is inherited from the mother, and the other is from the father. The last pair are called the sex chromosomes and they determine if we are male or female.
Females have two 'X' chromosomes.
Males have one 'X' chromosome and one 'Y' chromosome. DNA is the most basic and smallest unit of genetic material in a cell. The bases form a code that the body is able to read. It is this code that tells the body what it should do. To date over 250 individuals are participating in epilepsy genetic research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.