This tutorial describes the role of telomeres, the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, in DNA replication and cell division.

Telomeres play an important role in cells by protecting the ends of chromosomes during DNA replication. Scientists are interested in understanding how telomeres are maintained, because telomere shortening has been implicated in aging, and telomere lengthening in cancer. This Click & Learn discusses the structure and function of telomeres. It also describes a variety of proteins that bind to telomeric DNA, and how these proteins regulate the cellular machinery that maintains telomere length.