Chromosomes and sex determination

Chromosomes and sex
determination
Bidya Timalsina
BNS 3rd year
General objectives
• At the end of teaching learning session, BNS 3 rd year students will be

able to explain about chromosome and sex determination.
Specific objectives
At the end of teaching learning session, BNS 3rd year students will be
able to
• define chromosome
Chromosome
Definition:
• Deeply stained minute rod-like structures seen in the nucleus of a
dividing cell.
• They may be rod shaped or V shaped or J shaped.
• Formed during cell division by condensation of chromatin.
• Chromosomes are composed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and
proteins.
• Characters of parents are transmitted to offspring through codes borne
on strands of DNA.
• Genes are made of such strands of DNA. They are located on
chromosomes.
Haploid and Diploid Chromosomes
• The number of chromosomes in each cell is fixed for a given species and in
man it is forty- six.
• This is referred to as the diploid (or double) number.
• However, in spermatozoa and ova the number of chromosomes is only half the
diploid number, i.e. twenty-three.
• This is called the haploid (or half) number.
• After fertilization the resulting zygote has twenty-three chromosomes from the
sperm (or father), and twenty-three from the ovum (or mother).
• The diploid number is thus restored.

Autosomes and Sex Chromosomes
• The forty-six chromosomes in each cell can be divided into forty-four
autosomes and two sex chromosomes.
• The sex chromosomes may be of two kinds, X or Y. In a man there are

forty- four autosomes, one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome;
while in a woman there are forty-four autosomes and two X-
chromosomes in each cell.
• When we study the forty-four autosomes we find that they in fact

consist of twenty-two pairs, the two chromosomes forming a pair being
• In a woman the two X-chromosomes form another such pair; in a man
this pair is represented by one X- and one Y-chromosome.
• One chromosome of each pair is derived from the mother and the
other from the father.
Chromosome structure
• In a resting cell, chromosomes are not visible under a light microscope
as their chromatin material is highly dispersed.
• However, during cell division the chromatin network in the nucleus

becomes condensed into a number of chromosomes.
• It is made up of two rod-shaped structures or chromatids placed more

or less parallel to each other.
• The chromatids are united to each other at a light staining area called
the centromere (or kinetochore).
• Each chromatid has two arms, one on either side of the centromere.
• Individual chromosomes differ from one another in total length, in the

relative length of the two arms and in various other characteristics;
these differences enable us to identify each chromosome individually.
• Classification of chromosomes in this way is called karyotyping.
• Karyotyping makes it possible for us to detect abnormalities in

chromosome number or in individual chromosomes.
Significance of chromosomes
• The entire human body develops from the fertilized ovum.
• It is, therefore, obvious that the fertilized ovum contains all the
information necessary for formation of the numerous tissues and organs
of the body, and for their orderly assembly and function.
• Each cell of the body inherits from the fertilized ovum, all the directions
that are necessary for it to carry out its functions throughout life.
• This tremendous volume of information is stored within the

chromosomes of each cell.
• Each chromosome bears on itself a very large number of structures
called genes.
• Genes are made up of a nucleic acid called deoxyribonucleic acid (or

DNA) and all information is stored in the molecules of this
substance.
• Genes are involved in synthesis of proteins.
• Proteins are the most important constituents of our body. They make
up the greater part of each cell and of intercellular substances.
Enzymes, hormones and antibodies are also proteins.
• The nature and functions of a cell depend on the proteins synthesized

by it. It is, therefore, not surprising that one cell differs from another
because of the differences in the proteins that constitute it.
• We now know that genes control the development and functioning of cells,
by determining what types of proteins will be synthesized within them.
• Thus genes play an important role in the development of tissues and

organs of an individual.
• Traits (characters) of an individual are determined by genes carried on his

(or her) chromosomes.
• As we have seen half of these are inherited from the father and half from
mother.
• As you know all information in cells is stored in molecules of DNA.

Sex determination
• We know that all ova contain 22 + X chromosomes.
• However, we have seen that spermatozoa are of two types.
• Half of them have 22 + X chromosomes and the other half of them
have 22 + Y chromosomes.
• We speak of these as 'X-bearing', or 'Y-bearing', spermatozoa.
• An ovum can be fertilized by either type of spermatozoon.
• If the sperm is X-bearing, the zygote has 44 + X + X chromosomes
and the offspring is a girl.
• If the sperm is Y-bearing the zygote has 44 + X + Y chromosomes and
the offspring is a boy.
• Thus the sex of a child is 'determined' at the time of fertilization.
• It will now be clear that one chromosome of each of the 23 pairs is

derived from the mother and the other from the father.
References
1. Singh Inderbir , Pal G P; Human Embryology ; 9 th edition;

Macmillan Publisher pvt. Ltd; page no: 2;3;4
2. V Subhadra Devi; Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology; 13 th

edition; Japee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd.8,9,10
3. Singh Inderbir ,; Human Embryology ; 10th edition; Japee Brothers

Medical Publisher (P) Ltd.

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Chromosomes and sex

• At the end of teaching learning session, BNS 3 rd year students will be

• This is referred to as the diploid (or double) number.

• This is called the haploid (or half) number.

• The diploid number is thus restored.

• The sex chromosomes may be of two kinds, X or Y. In a man there are

• When we study the forty-four autosomes we find that they in fact

• However, during cell division the chromatin network in the nucleus

• It is made up of two rod-shaped structures or chromatids placed more

• Individual chromosomes differ from one another in total length, in the

• Classification of chromosomes in this way is called karyotyping.

• Karyotyping makes it possible for us to detect abnormalities in

• This tremendous volume of information is stored within the

• Genes are made up of a nucleic acid called deoxyribonucleic acid (or

• The nature and functions of a cell depend on the proteins synthesized

• Thus genes play an important role in the development of tissues and

• Traits (characters) of an individual are determined by genes carried on his

• As you know all information in cells is stored in molecules of DNA.

• It will now be clear that one chromosome of each of the 23 pairs is

1. Singh Inderbir , Pal G P; Human Embryology ; 9 th edition;

2. V Subhadra Devi; Inderbir Singh’s Human Embryology; 13 th

3. Singh Inderbir ,; Human Embryology ; 10th edition; Japee Brothers

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