The characters transmitted from parents to offspring are present in genes.
Explanation: Genes are the units of heredity that carry the genetic information responsible for passing down traits from parents to offspring.
Why other options are incorrect:
Cytoplasm:
The cytoplasm is the fluid inside a cell where many organelles are located, but it doesn’t contain the genetic information needed for inheritance.
Ribosomes:
Ribosomes are organelles involved in protein synthesis, not the storage of genetic information.
Golgi bodies:
Golgi bodies are organelles responsible for packaging and modifying proteins, not storing genetic information.