View source for Autosomes

An autosome is a [[Chromosome|chromosome]] that is not a sex chromosome (allasome)<ref>Russell, P. (1998). Genetics. 5th ed. Menlo Park, Calif.: Benjamin/Cummings.</ref>. 

= = =

An autosome is a [[Chromosome|chromosome]] that is not an [[Allosome|allosome]]&nbsp;(i.e., not a sex chromosome). Autosomes appear in pairs whose members have the same form but differ from other pairs in a [[Diploid|diploid]] cell, whereas members of an allosome pair may differ from one another and thereby determine sex. The DNA in autosomes is collectively known as atDNA or auDNA. 

For example, humans have a diploid [[Genome|genome]] that usually contains 22 pairs of autosomes and one allosome pair (46 chromosomes total). The autosome pairs are labeled with numbers (1-22 in humans) roughly in order of their sizes in base pairs, while allosomes are labeled with their letters. By contrast, the allosome pair consists of two X chromosomes in females or one X and one Y chromosome in males. (Unusual combinations of XYY, [[Klinefelter|XXY]], XXX, XXXX, XXXXX or XXYY, among other allosome combinations, are known to occur and usually cause developmental abnormalities.)<br> 

=== <u>References</u>  ===

<u><references /><ref>Griffiths, Anthony J. F. (1999). An Introduction to genetic analysis. New York: W.H. Freeman. ISBN 0-7167-3771-X.</ref></u> 

 ===

<u>'''<br>'''</u>