Where is DNA?
Ed Radclyffe, CSIRO
You are made up of billions of cells: current estimates put the figure somewhere between 10 and 100 billion cells. Inside nearly every cell is a nucleus which has your own unique set of 46 chromosomes. Each of these chromosomes consists of a compact coil of an incredibly long molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
Genetics Education, Murdoch Children's Medical Research Institute
The DNA is so tightly coiled that approximately 1.8 metres of it is able to fit into the nucleus of a human cell.
The DNA stores all the coded information for everyday growth and metabolism, and contains information that is passed between generations. It has a major influence on what you look like and how your body functions.
Zoom into the human body to find DNA - interactive
Extracting DNA in your kitchen - work sheet [PDF, 55kb, 2 pages ]
Watch a movie to see how DNA is packaged.
Basic movie
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Advanced movie
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