Chromatid

/ˈkroʊmətɪd/ noun

Definition

One of the two identical copies of a chromosome formed after DNA replication, held together at the centromere.

Etymology

From 'chromatin' (stainable material in cell nucleus) + '-id' (suffix for parts or components). Coined in early 20th-century cytology to describe structures visible during cell division.

Kelly Says

Sister chromatids are identical twins connected at the centromere—when a cell divides, they separate so each daughter cell gets an exact copy of the DNA; watching this happen is how scientists understand inheritance.

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