What are telomeres?

A telomere is the structure at each end of a chromosome. It consists of an area of highly repeated DNA combined with protein. Its main function is to protect the end of the chromosome.

The English word 'telomere' means either (free) end of a eukaryotic chromosome

The telomere protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration or from fusion with neighbouring chromosomes.

Telomeres are specialized DNA structures that are present at the end of each chromosome. They protect chromosomes from fusing together as well as from shortening. This maintains the stability of a...

Telomeres shorten with each cellular replication; telomere length is inversely proportional to age. While telomere extension does tend to make cells "young again", telomere extension is problematic...