Question: Does the amount of chromosomes in a cell affect the other parts of said cell?

Rebecca Thompson answered on 13 Jun 2016:

In each cell of our body, we have an instruction manual made up of DNA, which is organised to chromosomes. Every cell in our body (with a couple of exceptions, like red blood cells) has the same instruction manual, or DNA. What makes each cell different (for example, a skin cell different from a brain cell), is how the instruction manual of DNA is read by other proteins in the cell.

Sometimes, people are born with different numbers of chromosomes. For example, people with three copies of chromosome 21 have Down Syndrome, while girls who only have 1 X chromosome have Turner syndrome. Which chromosome is missing/extra determines how the cell, and ultimately body is affected. Hope this helps 🙂