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chromosome
[ kroh-muh-sohm ]
noun
- any of several threadlike bodies, consisting of chromatin, that carry the genes in a linear order: the human species has 23 pairs, designated 1 to 22 in order of decreasing size and X and Y for the sex-determining chromosomes. X chromosome ( def ), Y chromosome ( def ).
chromosome
/ ˈəʊəˌəʊ /
noun
- any of the microscopic rod-shaped structures that appear in a cell nucleus during cell division, consisting of nucleoprotein arranged into units (genes) that are responsible for the transmission of hereditary characteristics See also homologous chromosomes
chromosome
- A structure in all living cells that consists of a single molecule of DNA bonded to various proteins and that carries the genes determining heredity. In all eukaryotic cells, the chromosomes occur as threadlike strands in the nucleus. During cell reproduction, these strands coil up and condense into much thicker structures that are easily viewed under a microscope. Chromosomes occur in pairs in all of the cells of eukaryotes except the reproductive cells, which have one of each chromosome, and some red blood cells (such as those of mammals) that expel their nuclei. In bacterial cells and other prokaryotes, which have no nucleus, the chromosome is a circular strand of DNA located in the cytoplasm.
Derived Forms
- ˌdzˈdz, adjective
- ˌdzˈdzly, adverb
Other Word Forms
- ··· [kroh-m, uh, -, soh, -m, uh, l], adjective
- ····ly adverb
- in·ter···· adjective
- in·ter·····ly adverb
- non···· adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of chromosome1
Compare Meanings
How does chromosome compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
The XX chromosome that in reproductive tissues results in production of eggs, and the XY chromosome that results in sperm production, are also present in all body cells.
The abnormal IP gene is located on the X chromosome.
Down's syndrome is when someone is born with an extra chromosome.
In one 2024 study published in Communications Biology, Mason found that astronauts who spent time in space had longer telomeres, or structures at the end of chromosomes which protect DNA.
Years after the discovery of her uterus, Annalise learned she was born with a mix of both XX and XY chromosomes.
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