Autosome

An autosome is a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome, or allosome; that is to say, there is an equal number of copies of the chromosome in males and females.[1] For example, in humans, there are 22 pairs of autosomes. In addition to autosomes, there are sex chromosomes, to be specific: X and Y. So, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Human chromosomes
Female (XX) Male (XY)
There are two copies of each autosome (chromosomes 1-22) in both females and males. The sex chromosomes are different: There are two copies of the X-chromosome in females, but males have a single X-chromosome and a Y-chromosome.

See also

References

  1. ^ Griffiths, Anthony J. F. (1999). An Introduction to genetic analysis. New York: W.H. Freeman. ISBN 071673771X. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?highlight=autosome&rid=iga.section.222. 
General
Classification
Evolution
Structure
H1 · H2A · H2B · H3 · H4
A · B · C1 · C2 · E · F · H · I · J · K · M · N · O · P · Q · T
B strc: edmb (perx), skel (ctrs), epit, cili, mito, nucl (chro)
Autosome
1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22
Sex chromosome