DNA and chromosomes
Why this matters
Oral epithelial renewal and dental development require accurate genome copying. Normal metabolism, inflammation and treatment exposures can damage DNA, while repair failure and mutation can alter tissue behaviour and support malignant evolution.
Genome rule: identify the structure, the lesion, the available template, the repair pathway and whether sequence information changed.
You will be able to
- 1.Explain DNA structure and base pairing.
- 2.Distinguish DNA, chromatin and chromosome.
- 3.Track semiconservative DNA replication.
- 4.Explain telomere protection and maintenance.
- 5.Match major lesions to repair pathways.
- 6.Classify mutations and predict consequences.
The 12 cards in this lesson
- 01DNA stores sequence in an antiparallel double helix
- 02Chromatin packages DNA without making it inaccessible
- 03From double helix to mitotic chromosome
- 04A chromosome is one organised DNA molecule
- 05DNA replication is semiconservative and bidirectional
- 06Antiparallel templates create leading and lagging synthesis
- 07Telomeres protect natural chromosome ends
- 08DNA damage is a lesion; mutation is a sequence outcome
- 09Repair pathways are matched to lesion and template
- 10Mutations change sequence at several scales
- 11Genome integrity is a balance, not perfect preservation
- 12Genome integrity across dental biology
You have got it when
You are ready to continue when you can identify the DNA lesion, choose the most relevant repair pathway, distinguish an unrepaired lesion from a fixed mutation and explain how chromosome packaging changes access to the genome.
17 references, graded by tier: 1 tier-1 · 16 tier-4 · sources last checked 2026-07-28
The full lesson entry includes
- All 12 teaching cards, each opening at Quick and expanding into Learn and Deep
- 5 final-challenge questions with worked rationales, and a micro-check on every card
- The 8-prompt recall deck, scheduled today, +1, +3, +7 and +21 days
- The misconceptions students actually hold, each with its correction
- All 17 references, tiered and annotated
More preclinical curriculum
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