Structures found in the nucleus of a cell. Chromosomes are made of DNA and protein. A particular region of a chromosome that contains the information needed to make a protein is called a gene. With the exception of eggs and sperm, every human cell contains 46 chromosomes in 23 pairs; one of each pair is inherited from each of your parents. Two of these chromosomes are sex chromosomes - an X and a Y for men and two Xs for women.