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An autosome is a chromosome that is not a sex chromosome – that is to say there are an equal number of copies of the chromosome in males and females.[1] For example, in humans, there are twenty-two pairs of autosomes, and in addition there are X and Y chromosomes which are sex chromosomes.
Human chromosomes |
Female (XX) |
Male (XY) |
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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. |
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