From Seed to Seed:
Plant Science for K-8 Educators

Cell division

Recall that every plant cell has a nucleus and that the nucleus contains the cell's genetic information.

Chromosomes. Within the nucleus is the chromatin, a substance composed of DNA and nuclear proteins. DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, carries the genetic information of the cell. During cell division, the chromatin becomes condensed into distinct strands or threads called chromosomes.

Genes. A typical chromosome's DNA contains thousands of subsections called genes, the basic units of heredity. It might help to think of chromosomes as strings of beads, with each bead representing a gene.