Skip navigation
URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/8770.htm

Chromosomes and DNA

Chromosomes and DNA

Overview

Humans typically have 23 pairs chromosomes, or 46 chromosomes in total. Chromosomes are made up of long strands of DNA, which contain all the body's genes.

Review Date 12/31/2023

Updated by: Anna C. Edens Hurst, MD, MS, Associate Professor in Medical Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.