Telomere

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Definition:
A string of repetitive DNA at the tip of each chromosome in the body that appears to serve as a kind of timekeeping mechanism. HGD chapter 18 p.441

Examples:
The number of telomeres is reduced slightly each time a cell divides. An example would be the number remaining in a 70-year –old is much lower than what is found in a child.

Analogies:
A telemere is to a chromosome as an aglet is to a shoelace.

Mnemonics:
[insert mnemonics here] (give a mnemonic in place of the bracketed text above, then delete these instructions. If you don't know of any examples, leave this section unchanged for someone else to improve on.)

In the News:
[|Telomeres, Aging, and Science Fiction] [|Lengthening Telomeres] media type="youtube" key="CCNuG2ejBuE" width="425" height="350"