telomere

Telomeres are the ends of chromosomes. They consist of repetitive sequences that vary in length between species and individuals. With each cell division, telomeres shorten due to oxidative stress and the inability of DNA polymerase to fully replicate them (end replication problem). Several means to lengthen telomeres have been observed; in humans, two methods exist: the telomerase enzyme and the recombination-based alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). Telomeres play a significant role in cancer development and stem cell aging.

90% of cancers activate telomerase as a telomere maintenance mechanism.

telomere by tempest33 March 16, 2009

Get merch

Get the telomere mug.

See more merch

Vine telomeres

(of a vine/video meme): The short time snippets which can be removed from the start and end of a vine without losing it any humor.

Dajuan: Why is that version of the vine one second shorter?
Aniyah: They must have just snipped off the vine telomeres.
(All watch vine)
...
Maykayla: Wait, no! They cut off the best part!

Aniyah: Never mind, I guess that wasn't a telomere!

Vine telomeres by Vine geneticist March 19, 2021

Get merch

Related Words

telomere • Vine telomeres

breatharian

One whos diet consists of air, light, and prana, with a possible sip of water now and then.

The breatharian has air, light, and prana for food.

breatharian by leena gabor November 8, 2005

Word of the Day on June 3, 2026

Get merch

A Booger In The Nose Of Progress

Anything that impedes or otherwise interferes with a process going forward.

"Militarily, that inquest was a booger in the nose of progress."

or

"As far as human rights are concerned, this political infighting is a booger in the nose of progress."

A Booger In The Nose Of Progress by Rok'n'rol Wannabe October 19, 2006

Word of the Day on June 2, 2026

Get merch

🤡🫵🏻

How to say "you're an idiot/clown" using only emojis.

Person 1: Insert completely incorrect and/or idiotic statement here
Person 2: 🤡🫵🏻

🤡🫵🏻 by Ubeenbamboozledson May 31, 2026

Word of the Day on June 1, 2026

Get merch

fogey

Fogey/fogy /fougi/ sl. (early 18C+, orig. Scot) old-fashioned, stuck-in-the mud.
Person with old fashioned ideas which he is unwilling to change: Come to the disco and stop being such an old fogey!

You think me an old fogeyand an old tory, his thoughtful voice said. I saw three generations since O’Connel’s time. I remember the famine. Do you know that the orange lodges agitated for repeal of the union twenty years before O’Connel did or before the prelates of your communion denounced him as a demagogue? You fenians forget some things. (James Joyce, Ulysses. Penguin Books,1992. p. 38)

fogey by Petyush September 14, 2005

Word of the Day on May 31, 2026

Get merch

Jarlic

Minced garlic in a jar

Add a tablespoon of jarlic to two teaspoons of butter and spread it in bread to make garlic bread

Jarlic by YSAC fanboy June 6, 2020

Word of the Day on May 30, 2026

Get merch