Almost all of your cells contain a complete copy of your genetic information – your genome – across 46 chromosomes (23 pairs). 

) are different – they have a total of 23 chromosomes, only one of each pair. When a sperm and egg combine during 

) that contains the full set of 46 chromosomes, 23 from each parent. 

This single cell divides many times during a person's growth and development, with each new cell containing a complete copy of the genome. 

How DNA is passed down between generations