You and your genes

All living organisms are made of cells. Some contain only one cell. Others are multicellular and contain many cells.

Humans and other organisms look a lot like their parents. This is because they have inherited information from them. This information is stored in the genome of the organism.

Our genes are inherited from our parents, and the different combinations of these genes make us unique. Genetic inheritance controls the characteristics of all living things.

Scientists are unlocking the secrets of the human genome as well as the genomes of other organisms. This means we can now find genes that serve particular roles or cause particular diseases.