Telomere

Pronunciation
/tel-oh-meer/
Category
Molecular Biology
Singular
Telomere
Plural
Telomeres

Definition

The physical ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. They protect the ends of chromosomes and confer stability.

Etymology

From Greek 'tele', meaning 'far' or 'end' and 'meros', meaning 'part'.

Example

Telomeres shorten with each cell division, acting as a 'clock' for cellular aging.

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