Pseudogenes are nonfunctional segments of DNA that resemble functional genes. There are two classes of pseudogenes: Class I pseudogenes arise from gene duplication and are often located near the functional gene, while Class II pseudogenes originate from mRNA that was reverse transcribed into DNA and inserted elsewhere in the genome by retrotransposition. Analysis of the human genome has identified approximately 2,900 pseudogene regions and found that sequences giving rise to pseudogenes tend to have short transcripts and be involved in nuclear regulation and translation.