Genes/Genetic Information

Genes are the blueprints necessary to build our bodies. Our bodies are made up of many cells. For example, muscles are made of muscle cells and bones are made of bone cells. Blood and brain are also made up of cells. In order for these many cells with different shapes and functions to work in harmony with each other, a precise blueprint is necessary. The blueprint is the "gene. Genes are involved in biological functions such as growth, development, metabolism, and immune response of living organisms, and are also associated with genetic characteristics and disease development. Genes also play an important role in the evolution of organisms and the maintenance of species, since genes are transmitted in the form of inheritance from parents to children.
Genetic information" refers to information transmitted to offspring or from cell to cell by genetic phenomena, and generally refers to the base sequences written in DNA (base sequences are discussed below). It is important to note, however, that genes/genetic information is not necessarily inherited from parents to children and does not necessarily show up on the surface, such as genetic abnormalities, which are a form of genetic information that can also cause disease.

Genes carry information that determines our characteristics. Each gene has a special function and issues specific instructions for the production of proteins in the cell, just like a recipe in a cookbook. Proteins are the building blocks of all matter in the body. Bones and teeth, hair and earlobes, muscles and blood are all made of proteins. These proteins help our bodies grow, function properly, and stay healthy. These proteins are what make us both have brown eyes or freckles, for example.
Next is where the genes are located. Our bodies are made up of billions of cells. A cell is a very small unit that makes up all living things, and most cells have only one nucleus. Within this nucleus are chromosomes. Genes reside on these tiny spaghetti-like structures called chromosomes, and each cell contains about 25,000 to 35,000 genes. These chromosomes and genes are made of DNA and are represented by a sequence of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) consisting of four bases: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). The sequence is the combination of these four bases.
Genes come in pairs. Each parent has two identical genes, and the genes of the offspring are created from one gene of each parent. Many of our physical characteristics, such as hair color and skin color, are determined by the genes passed on to our children.

DNA is composed of four types of bases, A, T, G, and C, as described above. The order of these bases is called the base sequence, and the protein produced depends on the base sequence. Genes are only a blueprint, and the proteins created based on the blueprint further build cells and perform tasks necessary for life activities. Genetic information is then transmitted from parent to child, affecting the traits and functions of offspring. It is important to note, however, that genetic abnormalities, one type of genetic information that can cause disease, are not necessarily inherited directly from parent to child and do not always show up on the surface. If you are concerned about whether or not your disease is inherited, please do not make a judgment on your own, but consult a specialized medical institution.

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