🧬 Genes: The Instructions

A gene is a specific segment of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) located on a chromosome. It contains the hereditary information passed from parents to offspring.

Composition: Made of nucleotides (Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, and Cytosine).

Function: They store information. A gene doesn't "do" anything physically in the cell; it simply provides the code for how to build a specific protein.

Location: Primarily housed inside the cell nucleus.

Stability: Genes are permanent blueprints that remain relatively unchanged throughout your life.

🏗️ Proteins: The Workers

Proteins are complex molecules that perform a vast array of functions within the body. They are the physical expression of the genetic code.

Composition: Made of long chains of amino acids.

Function: They are functional. They build tissues (collagen), transport oxygen (hemoglobin), speed up chemical reactions (enzymes), and fight infections (antibodies).

Location: Found everywhere in the cell and throughout the body (muscles, blood, skin).

Stability: Proteins are constantly being created, used, broken down, and recycled.