Human DNA comes in the form of 23 pairs of chromosomes. We get one set from our mom. The other from dad. Our children will get one set of their DNA from us. But before we package it into eggs or sperm, it gets mixed together. To see how this Read more…
Some diseases are “simple.” A single change in one gene can cause the disease. Sickle cell anemia is an example. But, it has more than one symptom, or phenotype. Complex diseases are a result of changes in many genes. They can also have lots of symptoms. Using simple diseases, researchers Read more…
Almost everyone gets the flu at some point. For some, it may not last too long. For others, it may last a few weeks. For a few people, the flu may lead to a trip to the hospital. Scientists think that genetics may play a role in how bad we Read more…
We all have two copies of every gene. We get one from each parent. Sometimes, the genes we get from our parents have changes in them. Some changes can be good. They can improve the proteins they make. Other changes may cause the protein not to work well, or at Read more…
We are all born with gene changes. We get them from our parents. Most of them do not cause any problems. These gene changes are in all our cells. Most of these gene changes are tiny. They involve one change in a gene. Like a typo in a recipe. Most Read more…
Delirium describes a state of confusion. People with delirium cannot think clearly. They have a hard time paying attention. They may not understand what is going on around them. They may also see or hear things that are not there. People who are in the hospital sometimes get delirium. Two Read more…
Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells. It contains iron. Oxygen binds to the iron in hemoglobin. As your heart pumps blood through your body, it delivers oxygen. When red blood cells die, they burst. This releases hemoglobin. Free hemoglobin can cause damage to kidneys and other organs. Read more…
Crohn’s disease is a type of bowel disease. It can affect any part of your digestive track, from your mouth to your anus. Most of time, it affects the end of your small intestine. It causes swelling in the lining of your digestive track. Crohn’s disease affects different parts of Read more…
Most of our DNA is in the nucleus of cells. This is the “brain” of the cells. Our 23 pairs of chromosomes are in the nucleus. But, we also have a little bit more. This DNA is in our mitochondria. So, we call it mtDNA. Mitochondria are the “energy factory” Read more…
Genes play a role in human traits and diseases. Sometimes, one gene determines one trait. For example, if you have wet or dry earwax. A change one gene can also cause a disease. This is the case with sickle cell anemia. But most of the time, diseases are a result Read more…