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Nature Cell Biology 9, 19–20 (1 January 2007) | doi:10.1038/ncb0107-19

Heterochromatin: condense or excise

Craig Pikaard & Olga Pontes

Chromosomes are made of chromatin — a combination of DNA and tightly associated proteins, including histones. The structure of chromatin in the genome is not uniform and this is readily apparent on examining nuclei stained with DNA-binding dyes under a light microscope.