Final answer:
DNA molecules are wound around histone proteins to form nucleosomes, which pack the DNA into the cell nucleus and further condense into chromosomes during cell division.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the cell nucleus, DNA molecules are wound around globules of histone to yield nucleosomes. Nucleosomes consist of DNA wrapped around a core of histone proteins, forming a structure often described as "beads on a string," where the DNA is the string and the beads are the histones. These structures are vital for the packaging of DNA into the compact form necessary for it to fit inside the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. When the cell is in the process of division, chromatin (DNA and associated proteins) further condenses into chromosomes. This compact form is crucial for efficient chromosome segregation into daughter cells during cell division.