Chromosome 4

Chromosome 4 is one of the 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans. People normally have two copies of this chromosome. Chromosome 4 spans more than 186 million base pairs (the building material of DNA) and represents between 6 and 6.5 percent of the total DNA in cells.

Structure[edit | edit source]

Chromosome 4 has three regions: the p arm, the q arm, and the centromere that separates them. The p arm (short arm) is above the centromere, and the q arm (long arm) is below the centromere.

Genes[edit | edit source]

Chromosome 4 likely contains 1,000 to 1,100 genes that provide instructions for making proteins. These proteins have a variety of functions throughout the body.

Diseases and conditions[edit | edit source]

Several conditions are related to genes on chromosome 4. These include Huntington's disease, a progressive brain disorder, and Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, which affects many parts of the body.

Research[edit | edit source]

Research is ongoing to identify additional genes on chromosome 4 and to learn more about the proteins they produce. Because chromosomes are the basis for all genetic transmission, they are the focus of much research in biomedicine and genetics.

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

National Center for Biotechnology Information

Chromosome 4 Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.