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Genes Wilder
19 August 2017

Genes Wilder

Genes are boring aren’t they? – just sitting in the cell nucleus like the one simulated here, waiting to be 'switched' on or off. Well, it appears that, hidden in the dark for all of our lives, our genes have been frolicking a little more than previously thought. Arranged along regions of DNA called chromosomes (in different colours here), they’re always on the move. Peering into thousands of individual stem cells, researchers looked at the position of chromosomes relative to each other and found them jostling and rearranging, using this movement to control when certain genes switch on. This new clue changes views about how genes control cells, raising questions about everything from embryonic development to cancer.

Written by John Ankers

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What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.